Real Madrid News
Real Madrid now taking veteran star’s contract renewal for granted
Luka Modric is one of the few players in world football to be recognised and admired by players and supporters alike. The Croatian International’s legacy transcends barriers of club and country, and it is safe to say that he is a global ambassador for the sport.
At the same time, Modric is synonymous with Real Madrid. The midfielder may not be an academy graduate or homegrown talent but the sheer success he has seen at the Spanish club builds a deep connection between the two.
At 37 years of age, the inevitable separation between Real Madrid and Modric is imminent. The Croat does not have many years left in his boots, and any season could be his last.
It appeared for long that the 2022-23 season would be the one after which the legend bid adieu to the Merengues. However, the player’s competitive spirit is far from tamed and Modric still feels he has enough in his tank to fight out another season at the club.
According to reports from AS, Los Blancos now take Modric’s renewal for granted. The official paperwork of his extension is yet to be signed but there is the all-important green light from the player.
Real Madrid thus plan on extending his contract by one year and will take a decision over the long-term future looking at his form and involvement next term. However, there appears to be an acceptance that 2023-24 could well be the last of Modric in a white shirt.
Having secured the extensions of both Modric and Toni Kroos, Carlo Ancelotti has security over his midfield personnel for the upcoming season.
After all, the signing of Jude Bellingham is no longer as clear and the situation could imply the veterans retain their regular starting position.
Cristiano Ronaldo’s move to Saudi Arabia has triggered a wave of massive establishment within the country so much so that the league has approached players like Lionel Messi, Sergio Busquets, Sergio Ramos and even Karim Benzema.
Benzema’s departure from Real Madrid is imminent and if a report from Diaro AS is to be believed, the Frenchman contacted his former Madrid teammate, Ronaldo, to ask him for information about the Saudi league, living conditions and other teams.
All this because it is said that the legendary Frenchman has received a lucrative offer from the newly crowned Saudi Pro League champions Al Ittihad. As reported before, the star striker will earn more than €100 million per year across his two-year contract with the Saudi team.
At the moment, the Saudi government has approved all of Benzema’s requests and while it is said that he can join the team of his choice, Al Ittihad’s recent flirting had made them absolute favourites.
That said, the transfer may have taken a u-turn recently, as Benzema spoke about staying at Real Madrid for the foreseeable future.
“Speak to the fans? Speak about what? Why should I speak of the future if I’m in Madrid?”, Benzema said.
“It’s the internet speaking, and reality is not the internet.”
In a recent turn of events, Helder Costa openly spoke about Benzema’s arrival, saying that his team is ‘excited about the arrival of the Balon d’Or winner.’ As if that is not enough, a club fan also showed a Karim Benzema edit on the big screen during their title celebrations.
Meanwhile, since the transfer is not confirmed, Real Madrid continue to be uninformed of Benzema’s decision. And this remains a major problem for the team from the capital city as their summer transfer plan hinges on the continuity of the Frenchman.
At the moment, the team is said to be closing in on the signing of Joselu from Espanyol. However, it must be noted that the forward will only be arriving on a season-long loan as Madrid already have big plans for the summer of 2024, with Erling Haaland and Kylian Mbappe both lined up.
