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Luka Modric is one the best midfielders in the world and he played a vital role in Real Madrid's success in recent years.
The Croatian played has 272 times for the club so far and helped the Los Blancos win one La Liga title, four Champions League trophies along with one Copa del Rey and three FIFA Club World Cup. He was a part of the FIFPro World XI on four occasions and also won the UEFA Men's Player of the Year award 2017-2018. He is also among the favourites to win the Ballon d'Or award this season
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However, Luka Modric is now 33 years old and his level will only decrease from now on. Real Madrid cannot afford to depend on him for long and need a new midfielder to replace their superstar.
Right on this note, here is a list of five midfielders who can potentially replace Luka Modric at Real Madrid.
#5 Paul Pogba
The French international started his professional career with the Red Devils but failed to make the grade at the club. He moved to Juventus in search of a regular first-team football and then became the most sought-after midfielder in the world within a few years.
The FIFA World Cup 2018 winner returned to the Old Trafford in 2016 and became one of the most important players for the team. He won the EFL Cup 2016-2017 and also lifted the UEFA Europa League trophy in his first season with the club. Pogba was the UEFA Europa League Player of the Season 2016–17.
However, there is speculation about him being unhappy at the club, and we might see him leaving Old Trafford for the second time in his career.
#4 Sergej Milinković-Savić
Sergej Milinković-Savić is nothing short of a revelation since joining Lazio from Genk in 2015 and is currently one of the most sought-after midfielders in the world.
The 23-year-old played 104 games for the I Biancocelesti thus far, scoring 18 times. He won the Bronze Ball for his performances during the FIFA U-20 World Cup 2015 and also helped Lazio win the Supercoppa Italiana 2017.
Standing at 6' 4', Milinkovic-Savic is a physically strong midfielder who contributes in both attack and the defence. He is also an accomplished dribbler and is comfortable playing anywhere across the midfield. He scored 14 goals and assisted further four in 35 league games during the 2017-2018 season.
He was linked with a move to Bernabeu last summer and will be a perfect replacement for the ageing Luka Modric if the Los Blancos managed to sign him. However, the Spanish giants are likely to face a strong competition from Manchester United and Juventus for his signature.
#3 Christian Eriksen
With his incredible passing, creativity, vision and the ability to control the game from the midfield, the Danish international is among the finest midfielders in Europe right now.
Cristian Eriksen is a product of the Ajax academy and graduated through the youth groups to make his senior debut for the club in 2010. He played 113 times for the Dutch club before joining Tottenham Hotspur for £11.5 million in 2013.
The 26-year-old is the integral part of Mauricio Pochettino's style at the Spurs and is currently the highest scoring Danish Player in the Premier League with 41 goals. He is also the first footballer to win three consecutive Danish Football Player of the Year awards.
Eriksen showed his desire to leave Tottenham recently and Real Madrid could make the most of the situation. However, he will command a huge transfer fee and the Los Blancos will also face a tough competition from Barcelona for his signature.
#2 Marco Verratti
Marco Verratti is one of the finest midfielders in the world right now and impressed one and all with his performances for Paris Sent Germain.
The 26-year-old started his professional career with Delfino Pescara 1936 and played 74 games, scoring two goals for the club before joining PSG in 2012. He played 164 league games for the Paris based club thus far, scoring nine times.
Marco Verrati is a technically gifted midfielder who is quick, agile and possesses good dribbling skills. He is also capable of dictating the game from the middle of the park and has the ability to dominate possession.
The Italian international won five Ligue 1 titles with the club and was included in the UNFP Ligue 1 team of the season on six different occasions. He won UNFP Ligue 1 Foreign Player of the Year: 2014–15 along with Pallone Azzurro 2015.
#1 Kevin de Bruyne
The Belgium international is one of the most talented midfielders in the world right now and was a key player in Manchester City's record-breaking 2017-2018 campaign in the Premier League.
The Belgian player is the main source of creativity for the Cityzens and made 16 assists, along with eight Premier League goals last season. He loves to take control of the game and naturally dictates the play for Manchester City going forward.
He was considered as the fourth-best player in the world by the English newspaper The Guardian in 2017. Kevin de Bruyne was the part of PFA Team of the Season 2017-2018 and was also included in the FIFA World Cup 2018 Dream Team.
The 26-year-old has been unlucky with injuries this season and he could feature only in three Premier League games so far. Nevertheless, he is a great player and would be a perfect replacement for Luke Modric.
