Luka Modric views his unsuccessful transfer to Chelsea from Tottenham in 2011 as a fortunate turn of events.
The Croatian playmaker had made it clear he wanted to join Chelsea in the summer of 2011, but Spurs rejected multiple offers for him.
He eventually signed with Real Madrid the following year, where he enjoyed an impressive 13-season career, winning 28 titles and securing the 2018 Ballon d’Or.
“Maybe I shouldn’t have publicly declared my desire to leave,” Modric, now with AC Milan, shared on the Neuspjeh prvaka podcast.
“Regardless, my time at Tottenham was very productive. They were firm in their stance, and chairman Daniel Levy made it abundantly clear during our first meeting that my departure was not an option. After that, I continued as if nothing had happened. I understood the complexities; both clubs are in London and there’s a rivalry involved.”
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“I wanted to make the move, even though I knew it would be challenging,” he added.
“Ultimately, it didn’t materialize, and I continued to perform, which turned out to be one of my best seasons. We finished in fourth place, while Chelsea clinched the Champions League that year.
“It was a fantastic season, and a year later, a greater opportunity arose. In hindsight, it worked out even better for me; had I signed with Chelsea, I might not have ended up at Real Madrid.”
Modric made over 150 appearances for Tottenham, having joined the club in 2008 for £16.5 million ($22 million) from Croatian team Dinamo Zagreb.