AC Milan sporting director Igli Tare confirmed Modric has verbally agreed to the move. "I spoke directly with Modric, and he's very eager to join Milan," Tare said. "We need players with leadership qualities, so Modric's presence will be vital."

Luka Modric during Real Madrid's La Liga match against Leganes at the Bernabeu stadium, Madrid, Spain on 29/3/2025. Photo: Reuters

Luka Modric during Real Madrid's La Liga match against Leganes at the Bernabeu stadium, Madrid, Spain on 29/3/2025. Photo: Reuters

Tare, a former Albanian striker who spent most of his playing career in the Bundesliga and Serie A, served as Lazio's sporting director from 2008 to 2023 before moving to Milan in late May. Tare said Modric's first question was: "Is Milan building a team capable of competing for titles?"

Milan finished a disappointing 8th in Serie A last season. However, they reached the Coppa Italia final, losing to Bologna. Earlier in the season, under manager Paulo Fonseca, they won the Supercoppa Italiana. Fonseca was sacked late last year and replaced by Sergio Conceicao.

Modric is likely to be Tare's first signing at Milan. He's expected to sign a one-year contract with an option for a second year. Modric will earn 4 million USD after tax annually at the San Siro.

Modric received more lucrative offers from Saudi Arabia, but he wants to continue playing at the highest level in Europe to maintain his hopes of playing in the 2026 World Cup. The midfielder has played in four World Cups: 2006, 2014, 2018, and 2022. Croatia failed to qualify in 2010. In 2018, Modric won the Golden Ball award as Croatia finished runners-up.

Milan is strengthening its midfield after selling Dutch midfielder Tijjani Reijnders to Manchester City for a fee that could reach 80 million USD. In addition to Modric, Tare is targeting experienced players like Granit Xhaka from Leverkusen. The 32-year-old Xhaka has reportedly agreed to personal terms with Milan, but Tare still needs to agree on a transfer fee with Leverkusen.

Hoang An (ESPN)