Modric almost joined Chelsea before eventually moving to Real Madrid.
Modric wanted to leave Tottenham for Chelsea in the summer of 2011 but was rejected; a year later, Real Madrid spent £33 million, opening the door to six Champions League titles and the 2018 Ballon d'Or.
Luka Modric admitted he desperately wanted to join Chelsea in the summer of 2011, when he was the heart and soul of Tottenham's style of play. But the deal fell through. A year later, Real Madrid appeared with £33 million – a turning point that opened the door to six Champions League titles and the 2018 Ballon d'Or.
The moment of missed opportunity with Chelsea
At the height of his Premier League career, Modric publicly expressed his desire to leave Spurs for Stamford Bridge. Tottenham immediately closed the door. Chairman Daniel Levy bluntly told the Croatian midfielder that he had no chance of leaving the team, especially not to move to a city rival.
Modric himself later admitted that publicly requesting to leave was a mistake:"Perhaps I shouldn't have made the request to leave so publicly."Without reaching an agreement, he stayed at White Hart Lane for another season.
A season of being held back and a move to Madrid.
The season in which he was suspended turned out to be a springboard. Modric played incredibly well, helping Tottenham finish fourth in the Premier League. Spurs missed out on Champions League qualification because Chelsea won the European title, but that performance was enough to convince Real Madrid to spend £33 million to bring him to the Bernabeu.
From there, his great journey in Spain began. Modric became the heart of the midfield, the foundation for their European triumph. The pinnacle was the 2018 Ballon d'Or and his role in leading Croatia to the World Cup final that year.
The numbers speak for themselves.
- £33 million: the amount Real Madrid spent to sign Modric after he was retained by Tottenham for the season.
- Fourth place in the Premier League: a milestone that shows Modric's impact at Spurs before his departure.
- Six Champions League titles: a legacy at Real Madrid.
- The 2018 Ballon d'Or and the 2018 World Cup final with Croatia: the pinnacle of individual achievement.
Significance for Chelsea and Tottenham
Looking back, Modric admits that not being able to join Chelsea turned out to be a blessing in disguise for his career: at Tottenham, he had an outstanding season, paving the way for a bigger opportunity – Real Madrid. For Chelsea, it was still a golden chance that slipped through their fingers. As sources suggest, if Chelsea had been able to convince Tottenham to release him in 2011, the history of European football might have been different.
Currently: timeless class.
At the age of 40, Modric moved to AC Milan and immediately made his mark with a goal against Bologna, becoming the oldest goalscorer in Serie A this season. From a rejected transfer, he has written one of the most impressive careers in European football.
