GdS: How Modric has started settling in as a new ‘leader’ at Milan

AC Milan have found a new leader in Luka Modric, who continues to impress at the base of the midfield trio.

As La Gazzetta dello Sport (seen below) write, in Lecce Modric was supposed to stay on the pitch for an hour, but instead he played 90 minutes. He managed 54 successful passes (more than Fofana, 33, and Loftus-Cheek, 20, combined).

He was involved in seven duels, more than Fofana and as many as Loftus-Cheek. So, beyond his quality, he also showed dedication and a sense of duty. He recovered five balls, more than any of his midfield team-mates.

Finally, the free-kick assist for Loftus-Cheek’s opening goal, with which Modric – at 39 years and 354 days – became the oldest midfielder in Serie A to set up a teammate. These numbers make him a point of reference for Leao and the entire team, and an added leader.

Photo by Maurizio Lagana/Getty Images

The ideal addition?

Modric is at the heart of the team and wants to be in the heart of the city. Luka is still looking for a place to live and is seeking a large space (for his wife and three children) in a central area of ​​Milan.

In the meantime, his go-to address is Milanello, where he often sleeps and watches football on TV. Matteo Gabbia, Strahinja Pavlovic and fellow playmaker Samuele Ricci are the team-mates closest to him at the moment.

Luka’s willingness to help, as well as his humility in putting himself at the service of the team are striking. After the Lecce game, he told Sky: “I feel great here, I’m happy, everything’s perfect. I’m adapting to the new city but also to Italian football; my teammates have welcomed me very well.

“Worried after the first match against Cremonese? No. That’s football. Of course, when you lose a match that everyone thinks you’ll win, it’s complicated, but that defeat showed that Italian football is difficult, that you always have to be careful.

“No worries, especially because I see a lot of quality here. True, there’s a lot to improve, but we’ll do it by getting to know each other and understanding the coach’s ideas in detail.”

Here to win

As a boy, he followed Milan games with his family, now the family is part of Milan. Luka is at the heart of the Rossoneri midfield, his older children – Ivano and Ema – are in the club’s youth academy.

Ema, the eldest daughter, is in the Rossoneri girls’ team after having played football in Madrid: they say she has great talent. Milan was a choice of the heart, and more: Luka hasn’t given up on his ambitions.  He wants to add one final chapter of success to his glorious career.

“Milan are a great team in world football. And that’s what we have to think about. I believe that given the quality we have, we have to aim high. We are Milan, and we can’t settle for mediocrity. I came here to win, and this team has everything it takes to do that,” he said after the Lecce win.

Luka has a contract until June 2026, with an option for another year with the Rossoneri. He will turn 40 on September 8 but in the meantime, he’s played in all three games. While Milan will spend the final days of the transfer window revamping their squad, they already have one certainty: Modric.