Luka Modrid joins AC Milan for one -year deal

Croatia captain Luka Modric, who left Real Madrid after 13 years in the La Liga club, completed his move to AC Milan with a one-year-old deal with an option to extend until June 2027, said the Serie A-side Monday.

The arrival of the 39-year-old midfielder was confirmed by the newly appointed Milan coach Massimiliano Allegri earlier this month.

Modric will wear the number 14 shirt, Milan said in a statement.

Modric, considered one of the greatest midfielders of all time, announced in May that he would really leave after Club’s World Cup. He has made 597 performances for the Spanish club and won 28 trophies including four La Liga and six Champions League titles.

He played his last game for Real on Wednesday and came up as a second half replacement during a 4-0 loss for Paris St Germain in the semi-final of the Club World Cup.

«It’s a bitter end … he is a legend of world football and from Real Madrid. He will be remembered for many more good things than for the 25 minutes he played today,» said Real Madrid manager Xabi Alonso after the game.

Modric, considered the largest player in Croatia of all time, has represented the country 188 times and scored 28 goals. He won the Golden Ball on World Cup 2018, where he led Croatia to the final for the first time.

He also won the Ballon d’Or in the same year and became the first player other than Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo to win the prestigious annual prize since 2007.

The arrival of Modric reinforces a midfield of Milan with also Youssouf Fofana, Yunus Musah and Ruben Loftus-Cheek, with Samual Ricci who came from Torino earlier this month.

Milan, which was not eligible for a European competition after he was eighth last season in the Italian top class of the Top-Flight League, starts his Serie A campaign against newly promoted Cremonese on August 23.