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Tottenham will not bring Luka Modric back to England

By Rucker Haringey

BILBAO, SPAIN - DECEMBER 02: Luka Modric of Real Madrid CF (L) being followed by Ander Iturraspe of Athletic Club (R) during the La Liga match between Athletic Club and Real Madrid at Estadio de San Mames on December 2, 2017 in Bilbao, Spain. (Photo by Juan Manuel Serrano Arce/Getty Images)
BILBAO, SPAIN - DECEMBER 02: Luka Modric of Real Madrid CF (L) being followed by Ander Iturraspe of Athletic Club (R) during the La Liga match between Athletic Club and Real Madrid at Estadio de San Mames on December 2, 2017 in Bilbao, Spain. (Photo by Juan Manuel Serrano Arce/Getty Images) /
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Luka Modric is too old for Tottenham

Tottenham fans have every right to be intrigued by the idea of bringing Luka Modric back to England. Unfortunately for Spurs fans around the globe, the Croatian midfielder won’t be coming back to his old club.

Reports from Spain (via Talksport) allege that Tottenham, Manchester United and Inter Milan are all interested in becoming Modric’s next club. Allegedly, Real Madrid are looking to get younger and more athletic in the midfield. Modric, for all of his brilliance on the ball, isn’t the box-to-box player Zinedine Zidane wants to integrate into his starting XI.

The rumour that Modric is set to leave Real Madrid this summer combined with Tottenham’s need to purchase a successor for Mousa Dembele make Spurs a seemingly logical destination. That is, until you consider the reality that Modric is already 32-years-old. Mauricio Pochettino also wants to get younger and more athletic in the midfield. Modric doesn’t satisfy either of those requirements.

Instead, look for Modric to move to a club that plays a slower brand of football. That does make both Manchester United and Inter Milan logical suitors. Both clubs employ more methodical styles of play. Even at his advanced age, Modric could be deadly pulling the strings for either attack.

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For what it’s worth, Real Madrid would be wise to hold on to Modric for another season or two. While I understand Zidane’s desire to get more dynamic in the middle of the park, Modric is still a very effective player in his starting XI.

His overall Whoscored.com player rating average of 7.17 on the year may not be up to his usual standards, but it’s still an excellent rating. The fact that his rating ticks up to an average of 7.34 during Champions League competition is further proof that he still possesses quite a bit of value.

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In the end, Modric is just too old for Tottenham to bring back to North London. There’s no doubt he could help the squad in the short-term, but at some point his game is going to begin to decline sharply due to age. Spurs simply aren’t going to pay a premium for a 32-year-old midfielder no matter how good of a story Modric’s return to Tottenham would be.

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