Real Madrid to offer Luka Modric raise to avoid Inter Milan deal

Reports in Spain and Italy today suggest Real Madrid are desperate to hang on the midfielder Luka Modric and avoid a move to Inter Milan.

Football Italia reports Los Merengues are set to offer Modric a €13-million-per-season contract — a big bump from his current €6.5 million salary.

Marca and SportMediaset have both reported on the new contract.

The Nerazzurri have reportedly offered Modric a deal which would pay him €10 million per season with the understanding that once his deal is complete with Inter, the team’s Chinese counterparts, Jiangu Suning, will give Modric an even bigger contract to play in China.

Photo by David Ramos/Getty Images

For the last two weeks, Modric has been linked with a move to Inter after his wife apparently reached out to Inter officials to gauge potential interest. Since that time, Inter has let a potential deal with former Bayern Munich midfielder Arturo Vidal go by the wayside as the Chilean international inked a new deal with Barcelona earlier this week.

Signing Modric would be the second big signing of a player to Serie A this season after former teammate Cristiano Ronaldo transferred to Juventus earlier in the transfer window.

Inter have been hot on the trail of another potential midfielder as its last target of the window. The Nerazzurri already picked up Modric’s Croatian teammate Sime Vrsaljko a few weeks ago to shore up its defensive position.

Further reports state that Modric intends on forcing Real Madrid’s hand with a gentleman’s agreement between himself and team president Florentino Perez that states the midfielder would be allowed to leave the team when he saw fit, without complications.

However, Perez has stated he will not let Modric leave unless a team activates his €750 million release clause, which Inter is in no position to do.

Calciomercato.com exclusively reported that Modric intends to tell Perez he has every intention of joining Inter next season, regardless of a new contract.

Inter Milan manager Luciano Spalletti confirmed the pursuit of Modric and stated the midfielder could definitely make a difference at the San Siro.

“Modric? I’ll keep dreaming with the fans, as the club have shown that they’re working in a consistent manner,” Spalletti said to Gazzetta dello Sport on Thursday. “It’s clear that a player of his ability would be important to us. There are still some days of the window left.

On Friday morning, Modric tweeted that he was “Back to work” with an image of him practicing with Real Madrid.

Inter has eight days to complete its mercato business as the Italian transfer window closes on Aug. 18 — the first matchday for the league.

Corriere della Sera reported that Real may have its eyes set on Thiago Alcantara, Sergej Milinkovic-Savic or Miralem Pjanic as possible replacements, if Modric were to leave.

Conversely, Real Madrid officials have reportedly backed out of a deal to entice Inter striker Mauro Icardi to the team. Sports Mole reported that Real Madrid agents were in Italy to talk with Icardi’s wife and agent Wanda but have since backed out of the deal stating they were no longer interested.

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