Luka Modric has admitted that, during his time at Tottenham Hotspur, he had hoped to secure a transfer to Chelsea before eventually making his celebrated move to Real Madrid. The Croatian midfielder, now regarded as one of the greatest midfielders of his generation, reflected on that period of his career in a recent interview on the Neuspjeh prvaka show.
Modric joined Tottenham in 2008 after rising to prominence at Dinamo Zagreb. His performances in the Premier League quickly attracted interest from top European clubs, and by 2011, Chelsea had made several attempts to sign him. Modric revealed that he was eager to make the switch across London at the time, believing it was the right step forward in his career. However, Spurs firmly rejected all offers from Chelsea, refusing to let one of their most valuable players join a direct rival.
“Perhaps I shouldn’t have said so publicly that I wanted to leave,” Modric admitted, recalling how the situation escalated. He explained that Tottenham chairman Daniel Levy made the club’s stance absolutely clear early in their discussions. “They were very tough on me. In our first meeting, Daniel Levy told me there was absolutely no chance they would let me go.”
Despite disappointment over the blocked transfer, Modric chose to remain professional and committed to Tottenham for another season. He continued to perform at a high level, helping the team finish fourth in a competitive Premier League campaign. That same year, Chelsea—who had tried to sign him—went on to win the Champions League, highlighting how intense and emotional the transfer saga had been. Modric acknowledged that the entire situation had been complicated not only because both clubs were in London, but also due to the heated rivalry between them.
Even so, Modric now sees the failed transfer as a turning point that ultimately shaped his legendary career. “I wanted to go, even though I knew it was going to be very difficult,” he said. “In the end, it didn’t happen, and I kept playing. It was perhaps one of my best seasons.”
Just a year later, an even greater opportunity appeared—Real Madrid came calling. In 2012, Modric made the move to the Spanish giants, beginning a historic chapter in his career. At Madrid, he went on to win 28 trophies, including six Champions League titles, and achieved the crowning individual honour of winning the 2018 Ballon d’Or. He also built an iconic midfield partnership with Casemiro and Toni Kroos, contributing 30 goals and 63 assists in 394 LaLiga appearances.
Looking back, Modric believes everything unfolded exactly as it should have. “In the end, it worked out even better,” he said. “Probably if I had joined Chelsea, I wouldn’t have gone to Real Madrid.”