WHILE SPECULATION OVER THE PAST FORTNIGHT OR SO HAS SUGGESTED THAT A DEAL IS DONE TO SIGN THE 39-YEAR-OLD MIDFIELD STALWART ON A FREE TRANSFER, THERE HAS YET TO BE ANY OFFICIAL WORD FROM THE ROSSONERI TO CONFIRM THE MOVE. IN TURN, THE EXPECTATION WAS THAT AN OFFICIAL ANNOUNCEMENT WOULD ARRIVE ONCE THE CLUB WORLD CUP HAS CONCLUDED, THUS ALLOWING MODRIC TO COMPLETE THE FORMALITIES OF HIS MOVE TO SAN SIRO TO BECOME A FUNDAMENTAL FIGURE IN MASSIMILIANO ALLEGRI’S REBUILD AHEAD OF NEXT SEASON.
TARE COVERED MANY TOPICS IN HIS PRESS CONFERENCE ON TUESDAY, AND WHEN ASKED ABOUT MODRIC, THE MILAN CHIEF SEEMED TO CONFIRM THAT THE CROATIAN INTERNATIONAL IS ON HIS WAY, AND REITERATED THE IMPORTANCE OF ADDING A PLAYER WITH HIS QUALITY, EXPERIENCE AND LEADERSHIP AT A CRITICAL MOMENT FOR MILAN IN TERMS OF SETTING A NEW PATH IN THE UPCOMING YEARS.
“I THINK THAT THE PURCHASE OF MODRIC SERVES PRECISELY THIS PURPOSE,” HE IS QUOTED AS SAYING BY MILANNEWS, WHEN ASKED IF HE IS GOING TO ARRIVE AT THE CLUB. “HE IS A PLAYER WHO IS AN IMPORTANT FIGURE IN WORLD FOOTBALL. I SPOKE TO HIM IN PERSON AND I SAW HIM AS A BOY WHO STILL HAS A LOT OF DESIRE TO BE COMPETITIVE.
“HIS ARRIVAL IS FUNDAMENTAL TO BE A POINT OF REFERENCE FOR A TEAM THAT NEEDS PLAYERS OF THIS FORM. THERE WILL NOT ONLY BE HIM BUT ALSO ONE OR TWO PURCHASES THAT WILL BE PART OF THESE EXPERIENCED PLAYERS BUT WILL BE A DRIVING FORCE FOR YOUNG PLAYERS WITH GREAT PROSPECTS.”
IT’S GREAT TO HEAR THIS INSIGHT FROM TARE, AS ASIDE FROM THE FACT THAT SIGNING MODRIC IS A KEY PIECE OF BUSINESS, HE GETS HIS ASSESSMENT OF THE MOVE SPOT ON IN TERMS OF WHAT THE CROATIAN ICON WILL BRING TO THE TEAM.
GIVEN THE UPHEAVAL THIS SUMMER WITH MANY CHANGES BEING MADE AND A SIGNIFICANT VOID NEEDING TO BE FILLED IN MIDFIELD FOLLOWING THE DEPARTURE OF TIJJANI REIJNDERS, SIGNING MODRIC IS A VITAL MOVE, AND IT’S HOPED THAT IT PROVES TO BE AS SUCCESSFUL AS IT’S EXPECTED TO BE.
MEANWHILE, TARE OFFERED MORE INSIGHT INTO HIS CONVERSATIONS WITH MODRIC DURING THE PROCESS OF CONVINCING HIM TO JOIN MILAN, AND IT’S CLEAR THAT GIVEN HE’S IN THE LATTER STAGES OF HIS CAREER, HE’S NOT COMING TO US TO JUST MAKE UP THE NUMBERS, PLAY REGULARLY AND ENJOY A STEADY PATH INTO RETIREMENT.
WITH HIS TRACK RECORD OF BEING IN HIGHLY SUCCESSFUL TEAMS AT REAL MADRID IN PARTICULAR, HE’LL WANT TO COMPETE AT THE TOP LEVEL AND WIN MORE MAJOR HONOURS AT MILAN, AND THE CLUB ARE SEEMINGLY STILL WORKING TIRELESSLY ON ENSURING THAT THERE IS MORE QUALITY AND EXPERIENCE AROUND HIM TO ENSURE THAT IT MATERIALISES.
“THE FIRST THING HE ASKED ME WAS IF WE WERE A TEAM BUILT TO WIN THE LEAGUE, WE ARE TALKING ABOUT A CHAMPION WHO COMES FROM REAL MADRID AND HAS WON SEVEN CHAMPIONS LEAGUES,” TARE ADDED. “I UNDERSTOOD THAT HE WANTS TO COME IMMEDIATELY TO BE A PROTAGONIST, IT WILL BE FUNDAMENTAL FOR WHAT HE WILL TRANSMIT TO THE TEAM IN TERMS OF MENTALITY AND PERSONALITY, OF LEADERSHIP. IT WOULD ALSO BE A GREAT THING FOR HIM TO HAVE A SEASON AS A PROTAGONIST, TAKING INTO ACCOUNT THAT THERE IS ALSO THE WORLD CUP.”
