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One of the best midfielders in world football, Real Madrid's Luka Modric continues to be one of the starting midfielders for the Los Blancos at the age of 35.
Modric, who joined Real Madrid from Tottenham Hotspur in 2012 on a £31.5 million transfer, was named the worst signing of the season by Marca.
However, since then, the Croatia international has made 382 appearances in all competitions for Los Blancos, scoring 26 goals. He has won every possible trophy with Real Madrid and won the Ballon d'Or award in 2018 after captaining Croatia to the 2018 FIFA World Cup final.
Five players who could replace Luka Modric at Real Madrid:
Luka Modric has enjoyed an incredible career at Real Madrid. His partnership with Toni Kroos, which continues to flourish, is arguably one of the best midfield partnerships of the modern generation.
However, the 35-year old cannot go on forever. On that note, let's take a look at five players who could replace Luka Modric at Real Madrid.
#1 Ryan Gravenberch (Ajax)
Ajax have one of the best academies in world football, and Ryan Gravenberch is their latest academy star who looks set to earn the club a huge profit by moving to a big club.
Ryan Gravenberch has all the attributes to be one of the best midfielders in the world. Good with his passing and dribbling while also registering decent defensive numbers in the Eredivisie, the Netherlands international could flourish in the right environment.
Ajax rate Gravenberch extremely highly, as evident by the minutes he is getting at the age of 18. The midfielder has made 36 appearances in all competitions this season for the club, scoring four goals and providing six assists.
With fellow academy graduate, Brian Brobbey set to join RB Leipzig on a free transfer in the summer, it remains to be seen whether Ajax will be receptive to letting go of Gravenberch.
If so, Real Madrid could be an enticing destination for the player.
#2 Nicolo Barella (Inter Milan)
One of the best midfielders in the Serie A this season, Nicolo Barella will likely be a league winner at the end of the campaign.
A product of the Cagliari academy, Barella joined Inter Milan in 2019, initially on a loan deal. The 24-year old's deal was made permanent a year later, with Inter Milan paying Cagliari £25 million for his services.
A strong creative passer, Barella has impressed this season with his intelligence and technical quality.
The Italy international could be a key player for Roberto Mancini at the Euros this summer, and a good tournament could result in strong interest from top clubs like Real Madrid.
This season, Barella has made 39 appearances in all competitions for Antonio Conte's Inter Milan, scoring three goals and providing seven assists.
Also Read: 5 greatest players who have played for both Barcelona and Real Madrid.
#3 Paul Pogba (Manchester United)
A perennial Real Madrid target, Paul Pogba could finally depart Manchester United this summer.
Pogba was heavily linked with a move to Real Madrid before sealing a return to Manchester United in 2016 for a then world-record fee of £94.5 million.
Since then, there has been intense scrutiny about his performances for the club. Doubts persist about the France international fulfilling the immense potential he displayed at Juventus.
While there have been excellent performances from the midfielder, inconsistency has plagued his spell with the Red Devils. The 28-year old has made 33 appearances in all competitions for the club this season, scoring five goals and providing four assists.
#4 Eduardo Camavinga (Rennes)
Like Paul Pogba, Eduardo Camavinga has been linked with a move to Real Madrid for quite some time now.
One of the biggest talents in French football, Camavinga has been in the news for a while now, after producing consistently good performances for Rennes.
The 18-year old has been a fixture in the Rennes first XI since the 2019-20 season, having already made 75 appearances in all competitions for the club.
Recent reports have suggested that the France international may not extend his contract at the club when his current deal expires in 2022.
If that is indeed the case, Real Madrid may not be the only club interested in the services of the talented player.
#5 Federico Valverde (Real Madrid)
Real Madrid might not have to splurge excessive amounts of money searching for a replacement for Luka Modric.
Federico Valverde has quietly established himself as a key player for Real Madrid. The Uruguay international joined Los Blancos in 2016 from Penarol for £4.5 million.
After a good loan spell with Deportivo La Coruna, he has impressed with his performances in midfield for Real Madrid. Valverde has made 96 appearances in all competitions for the club since his debut.
This season, the 22-year old has made 27 appearances in all competitions as Valverde appears to be a readymade replacement for Modric.
Also Read: 10 best finishers in world football.
