According to The Athletic reporter Pablo Maurer, D.C. United has spoken with Luka Modric’s representatives about the possibility of the Real Madrid midfielder joining the club this summer.
Modric has had an up-and-down season with Real Madrid, missing time with a muscle injury in September and struggling on occasion as Madrid battles Barcelona at the top of the La Liga table. Still, his pedigree in the soccer universe is unquestioned, having won four Champions League titles and carrying Croatia to the 2018 World Cup final, the latter of which led him to winning the Ballon d’Or that year.
With that in mind, it’s no surprise that Maurer reports Modric would command a salary in the $5-6 million per year range, firmly in Designated Player territory.
D.C. United is looking to recapture the starpower it lost with the departures of Wayne Rooney and Luciano Acosta, both of whom left after this past season. A 34-year-old Modric is the perfect target, with his Real Madrid contract expiring at the end of the European season.
Maurer’s report states that D.C. United first made contact with Modric’s representatives following the conclusion of the 2019 season, and the player is apparently “very interested.”