AC Milan Still Hoping Luka Modric Stays. But His New Coach Changes Everything.

So here’s where things stand with Luka Modric and AC Milan. The Rossoneri just hired their new coach and sorted out the front office. Now they have to figure out who stays and who goes. And they’re not ready to give up on the Croatian legend yet, according to La Gazzetta dello Sport.

Modric is 40 years old. That’s not a typo. And he still played well last season under Massimiliano Allegri, who liked using him in front of the defense with two bigger, more physical midfielders doing the running around him. That setup worked. Modric thrived in it. But Allegri is gone now.

The new coach is Ruben Amorim. And he runs a completely different system. High tempo. Lots of pressing. Constant movement. It’s not exactly tailor-made for a 40-year-old who makes his living with vision and passing range, not sprinting in transition.

Milan is reportedly open to keeping Modric in a part-time role if the new tactics prove too demanding for him to play every week. They understand the situation. He’s a legend. He’s settled in Milan. He likes the city and the club. But the decision ultimately rests with him, because his contract includes an option that gives him control over whether to trigger an extension.

The Real Madrid factor is real

Modric has a standing offer to return to Real Madrid as an executive whenever he’s done playing. That’s not hypothetical. That’s been on the table for a while. So if he decides Milan’s new direction doesn’t fit, he doesn’t have to go chase a contract somewhere else. He could just walk into an office at the Bernabéu and start the next chapter of his career.

But he might not be ready for that yet. Last season proved he can still play at this level. His experience and composure are rare. You don’t replace that easily. And there’s no indication right now that he’s talking to other clubs. The only conversations happening are with Amorim, to see if they can make it work.

Modric reportedly wanted one more shot at the Champions League before he retired. Milan couldn’t get him there this season — they missed out on qualifying for the final round of the competition. That stings. But it’s not necessarily a dealbreaker.

He’s got a big decision to make. And there’s no real timeline on it yet. Just a lot of waiting to see what happens when he sits down with Amorim and gets a clear picture of how he’d be used.