Mateo Kovacic to eclipse Luka Modric at Real Madrid
Can Mateo Kovacic become Luka Modric successor at the Santiago Bernabeu?
Mateo Kovacic joined Real Madrid from Inter Milan in the summer of 2015 for a hefty fee of €30 million. Although he struggled to breakthrough manager Zinedine Zidane’s starting XI during his first season, the 22-year-old has taken advantage of team’s narrow squad this campaign with injuries to Luka Modric, James Rodriguez, and even Toni Kroos had a spell in the treatment room.
Former Croatian captain Darijo Srna believes Kovacic will succeed Modric at Real Madrid as the “best midfielder in the world.”
The “incredibly talented” Kovacic has fit the bill this season and the midfielder influenced Los Merengues with his first league goal as Blancos steamed roll Real Sociedad 3-0 in La Liga.
Serna revealed to Marca that Kovacic still has plenty of room for improvement.
“I am sure that [Kovacic] will succeed Modric as he has incredible talent,” Srna said to Marca from Shakhtar Donetsk’s winter camp at La Manga . “I adore him. Although he has improved a lot, we have not yet seen all he can give. But we will. He is the future of Madrid. He needs time as just three years ago he left Dinamo Zagreb to play at Inter and then Real.”
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The veteran also backed his longtime friend, Luka Modric as world’s undisputed best midfielder.
“Although he is my friend, [Modric] is the best midfielder in the world at the moment,” he said. “I have no doubt, I do not say he is one of the best, I am sure that he is the best. Luka is improving with the years, I believe he is at his best now. Since he arrived he has been improving with the team. Madrid are having a great run of results, but without Luka they would have problems.”
Can’t disagree with Serna on this one. Since arriving from Tottenham in 2012, the 31-year-old has improved each year and is one of the pillars in Madrid’s talented array of squad.
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Modric has garnered two Champions Leagues, two Club World Cups and the Copa del Rey in his illustrious career at Madrid.