Modrić postpones decision on Milan: conversation with Amorim could determine the final phase of a great career
Luka Modrić is entering one of the most delicate periods of his career without a final decision on where he will play after the 2026 World Cup. His contract with AC Milan runs until 30 June 2026, with an option to extend for one more season, but that possibility has not yet been turned into an official agreement. According to information published in recent days by Italian media citing La Gazzetta dello Sport, the Croatian captain and Milan have still not settled the question of continuing their cooperation, and an important factor is expected to be a conversation with the new coach Rúben Amorim. According to the same reports, Modrić is currently focused on Croatia’s appearance at the World Cup and does not want to seriously address his club future before the end of the tournament. Such an approach leaves several scenarios open: staying at Milan, returning to Dinamo, ending his playing career or possibly returning to Real Madrid in a non-playing role.
The decision is not only a contractual matter
Modrić’s situation cannot be viewed as an ordinary continuation or termination of a one-year contract. In July 2025, AC Milan officially announced that the Croatian midfielder had signed until 30 June 2026, with the possibility of extending until 30 June 2027, giving the club a major name and playing authority for a season of transition. At that moment, Modrić arrived after thirteen years at Real Madrid, as one of the most decorated footballers of the Madrid club and the winner of the 2018 Ballon d’Or. Milan did not bring him in only because of minutes on the pitch, but also because of his experience, work culture and ability to stabilise the midfield in a team that was seeking a clearer identity. For that reason, a possible separation would not merely be a technical decision about one veteran, but also a signal about the direction in which the new sporting project wants to move.
Italian reports emphasise that Modrić has said neither a final “yes” nor a final “no”. According to DerbyDerbyDerby, which cites information from the Italian sporting environment, the key moment should be a conversation with Amorim after Modrić completes his obligations at the World Cup. According to the same reports, Milan would like to keep him, but in a different role from the one he had during the greater part of the season: with more carefully managed appearances, possible introductions from the bench and the selection of matches in which his experience comes most strongly to the fore. That is a realistic framework for a player who still has an exceptional reading of the game, but who will turn 41 in September 2026. In such a model, the question is not whether Modrić can play, but how often and in what tactical environment Milan want to use his quality.
Amorim changes the context in the dressing room and on the market
On 16 June 2026, AC Milan officially announced that Rúben Amorim had taken over as head coach of the first team. In the announcement, the club highlighted his work at Sporting, the development of young players, a recognisable style of play, pressing after losing the ball and the ambition for the team to have a clearer identity in possession. From the perspective of Modrić’s future, the arrival of a new coach changes almost everything. A player who had a defined role under Massimiliano Allegri now has to hear how Amorim sees him in the new system, especially if Milan want to raise the tempo, intensity and pressing compared with the previous season. The coach’s plan could therefore be decisive, because Modrić’s stay makes sense only if there is a clear agreement on his role, minutes and expectations.
According to Milan’s official announcement, Amorim built teams in his previous clubs with pronounced organisation and clear player profiles. That is important because Modrić is no longer a footballer around whom an entire midfield is built in the long term, but he can be extremely valuable if he is provided with a precisely defined function. In a system that demands intense movement and a quick reaction after losing the ball, his minutes would probably have to be carefully planned. On the other hand, in matches in which Milan need control of the tempo, calm possession and better decision-making under pressure, Modrić is still a player whose profile is not easy to replace. That is precisely why the conversation with Amorim should not be a formality, but a fundamental assessment of whether the ambition of the new coach can be aligned with the realities of the final phase of Modrić’s career.
Milan without the Champions League seek a new beginning
One of the reasons why Modrić’s decision is more complex is Milan’s European context. Italian media state that missing out on the Champions League has made talks about continuing cooperation more difficult, because Modrić came to Milan with the ambition of still playing on the biggest club stage. UEFA’s and the club calendars for the next season now create a different framework, and reports from Italy point out that Milan could offer him a stay with a smaller number of appearances and more selective use in European and domestic matches. Such a proposal may be attractive if Modrić wants to extend his career without excessive physical strain. But it may also be a reason for hesitation if he assesses that another season without the highest level of European competition would reduce the sporting challenge he is seeking at the end of his career.
Milan’s position is additionally sensitive because the club is entering a new period after a coaching change and broader restructuring. Amorim must assess which experienced players he wants to keep as bearers of authority, and which positions need to be refreshed with younger and physically more powerful profiles. In that calculation, Modrić stands between two logics: his quality and status speak in favour of staying, while his age and the need for greater intensity suggest caution. For the club, his stay could be an important bridge toward a new cycle, especially if the dressing room loses other experienced pillars. For the player, however, staying would make sense only if he feels like an active part of the project, and not like a symbolic figure used occasionally and without a clear plan.
The World Cup postpones the club decision
Modrić’s focus is currently tied to Croatia, who are playing in Group L at the 2026 World Cup with England, Panama and Ghana. In its overview of the Croatian national team, UEFA states that Zlatko Dalić’s side is led precisely by Modrić, while Ivan Perišić, Andrej Kramarić and other experienced players are also mentioned as important leaders. Croatia lost their first group match against England 4:2 on 17 June in Dallas, and according to the schedule published in UEFA’s overview, the next match against Panama will be played on 24 June Central European Time in Toronto, while the meeting with Ghana is scheduled for 27 June in Philadelphia. In such circumstances, it is understandable that Modrić does not want to open the club question while the national-team tournament is ongoing. Any public decision now could divert attention from the team and additionally burden a player who has for years been one of the symbols of the Croatian national team.
The sporting aspect of the World Cup additionally affects the timeframe of the decision. If Croatia advance from the group and continue the competition, talks with Milan could be pushed into July, and Amorim’s plan for the start of preparations would thereby gain additional uncertainty. If Croatia end their participation earlier, the decision could come more quickly, but even then Modrić will have to weigh his physical condition, motivation and family circumstances. UEFA recalls that Croatia were finalists in 2018 and third-placed in 2022 in the last two World Cup cycles, so the pressure of legacy remains great. For Modrić, the tournament in North America could be his last major national-team appearance, which places his club future in the background as long as a competitive goal with Croatia still exists.
Dinamo and Real Madrid remain topics, but not confirmed outcomes
A possible return to Dinamo, the club from whose system Modrić set off toward a great European career, is also being mentioned in media combinations. In its official announcement about his arrival, AC Milan recalled that Modrić, as a very young player, was part of Dinamo’s academy, then developed through loans at Zrinjski and Inter Zaprešić, before returning to Zagreb and winning domestic trophies prior to his transfer to Tottenham. Because of that biography, the idea of returning to Dinamo carries emotional weight and easily fits into the narrative of closing the career circle. But according to the available information, such an outcome has not been officially confirmed. At this moment, Dinamo is more of an alternative scenario mentioned because of Modrić’s past and symbolism than an option about which publicly confirmed negotiations exist.
Another frequently mentioned direction leads toward Madrid, but not necessarily onto the pitch. In May 2025, Real Madrid officially announced the end of Modrić’s playing period at the club after the Club World Cup, emphasising that he is a legend of the club and of world football. In the same announcement, the club stated that Modrić won 28 trophies in 13 seasons, including six European titles, and that he is the player with the most trophies in Real Madrid’s history. Because of such status, reports that the doors of Madrid could remain open to him in a non-playing role are not surprising. Still, that option has not yet been officially confirmed as an immediate agreement either, but appears in the public sphere as a logical possibility if Modrić decides to end his playing career after the World Cup.
What staying at Milan would mean for Modrić and for Amorim
If Modrić decides to stay at Milan, it would most likely be an agreement different from the classic status of a regular first-team player. Italian reports mention the possibility that he would play less, be used in selected matches and occasionally come on during the second half of games, especially when the team needs composure in organising play. Such a role could be useful for Amorim, who would gain a player of exceptional authority in the dressing room and a mentor to younger midfielders. For Modrić, meanwhile, it would mean an opportunity to remain in one of Europe’s biggest leagues without having to carry the greatest physical burden week after week. But such an agreement requires an honest assessment from all sides, because a player of his status can hardly function in an unclear role or in a project in which he is not sure that his quality will be used meaningfully.
Milan must also be careful not to turn the decision into an emotional issue. Modrić’s name brings prestige, experience and global recognition, but Amorim’s team must be competitive on the pitch. If the coach concludes that he needs greater physical dynamism in midfield, the club could move toward younger solutions and keep Modrić only if he accepts a specific rotational role. If, however, Amorim sees in him a key player for transmitting ideas, controlling matches and providing stability in a transitional season, staying could be mutually beneficial. In that case, Milan would gain a rare combination of experience and technical quality, while Modrić would get another season in an environment which, according to Italian media, suits him privately and professionally.
Time works against a long wait
Although Modrić rightly gives priority to the national team, market and club deadlines will not wait for long. At the beginning of the summer, Milan must build the squad, define the hierarchy in midfield and adapt preparations to Amorim’s demands. The more the decision is delayed, the greater the possibility that the club will prepare other options in parallel, while the player considers alternative paths. At the beginning of June, Gazzetta wrote that uncertainty around Milan’s project and the absence of clear signals were making Modrić’s stay more difficult. More recent Italian reports nevertheless leave room for a different outcome, especially if Amorim manages to convincingly explain where he sees him and why another season would make sporting sense.
The situation as of 23 June 2026 can therefore be summed up in one sentence: Modrić has not closed the door to Milan, but he has not opened it wide either. The decision will depend on the end of Croatia’s World Cup campaign, the conversation with the new coach, Milan’s European and sporting plan, and the personal assessment of a player who has already achieved almost everything that can be won in football. Staying at Milan would be a continuation of his career in a carefully managed role, Dinamo would carry strong emotional symbolism, and Real Madrid would represent a natural continuation of his connection with the club where he became a legend. For now, the only certain thing is that Modrić wants to make the decision without haste and after completing the work he still has with Croatia on the world stage.
Sources:
- AC Milan – official announcement on the appointment of Rúben Amorim as head coach of the men’s first team (link)
- AC Milan – official announcement on the arrival of Luka Modrić and the duration of the contract with an extension option (link)
- UEFA – overview of Croatia at the 2026 World Cup, schedule, national-team context and Modrić’s role (link)
- Real Madrid – official announcement on the end of Modrić’s playing period at the club and his trophies (link)
- La Gazzetta dello Sport – analysis of the uncertainty surrounding Modrić’s stay at Milan in early June 2026 (link)
- DerbyDerbyDerby – report on a possible conversation between Modrić and Amorim after the World Cup and career continuation options (link)