AC Milan have officially signed Croatia captain Luka Modric to a one-year deal with an option to extend through June 2027, the Serie A club announced Monday, marking the end of his illustrious 13-year spell at Real Madrid.
Modric’s arrival had been hinted at earlier this month by newly appointed Milan coach Massimiliano Allegri.
“Very happy to be here to start a new chapter in my career,” the 39-year-old said in an Instagram video shared by the club.
The veteran midfielder will wear the No. 14 shirt – his number during four seasons at Tottenham Hotspur – in tribute to Dutch legend Johan Cruyff.
“It’s an immense honor for them to compare me to (Cruyff), I wore the No. 14 at Tottenham in honor of him, and because the No. 10 wasn’t available,” Modric said after winning the Ballon d’Or in 2018.
Modric, regarded as one of the greatest midfielders of all time, announced in May that he would leave Real after the Club World Cup. He made 597 appearances for the Spanish club, winning 28 trophies, including four La Liga and six Champions League titles.
He played his final game for Real on Wednesday, coming on as a second-half substitute during a 4-0 loss to Paris Saint-Germain in the Club World Cup semifinals.
“It’s a bitter end ... he’s a legend of world football and of Real Madrid. He’ll be remembered for many more good things than for the 25 minutes he played today,” Real Madrid coach Xabi Alonso said after the match.
Modric, considered Croatia’s greatest player of all time, has represented the country a record 188 times, scoring 28 goals. He won the Golden Ball at the 2018 World Cup, where he led Croatia to the final for the first time.
He won the Ballon d’Or in December that year, becoming the first player other than Lionel Messi or Cristiano Ronaldo to win the prestigious award since 2007.
Modric’s arrival reinforces a Milan midfield that also includes Youssouf Fofana, Yunus Musah and Ruben Loftus-Cheek, with Samuele Ricci joining from Torino earlier this month.
Milan, who failed to qualify for European competition after finishing eighth in Serie A last season, begin their new campaign against newly promoted Cremonese on Aug. 23.
