Luka Modric releases statement as he takes surprise shock ownership role at EFL club
Luka Modric has become a minority owner at Swansea City, it has been announced.
The Croatian is regarded as one of the greatest midfielders of all-time amid a Real Madrid career that's been littered with trophies.
4
Modric has won four LaLiga titles and six Champions League trophies with Madrid, as well as the prestigious Ballon d'Or in 2018.
However, his attention now turns towards Swansea with a surprise ownership position.
A club statement read: "Swansea City is delighted to welcome @lukamodric10 to our ownership group.
"Recognised as one of the finest players of his generation, Luka’s leadership, knowledge and passion for football will be key to the club’s ongoing development."
READ MORE ON THE EFL
Meanwhile, Modric said: "This is an exciting opportunity. Swansea has a strong identity, an incredible fan base, and the ambition to compete at the highest level.
"Playing at the highest level, I believe I can provide my experience to the club. My goal is to support the club’s growth in a positive way and to help to build an exciting future.”
American businessmen Andy Coleman, Brett Cravatt and Jason Cohen are the current majority owners with a share worth 77.41 per cent.
Nigel Morris holds 14.04 per cent, whilst the Swansea City Supporters Society Ltd make up a remaining 7.59 per cent.
Most read in Championship
It's not been disclosed how much of the club Modric is buying, but he is expected to remain playing for Madrid alongside his duties.
Swansea are 12th in the Championship and eight points outside of the play-off spots with four games remaining.
4
4
Alan Sheehan is currently in interim charge of the Welsh side and was appointed after Luke Williams was sacked in February.
The Swans are in their seventh consecutive Championship season having been relegated from the Premier League in 2018.
Fourth and sixth place finishes before play-off defeats in 2020 and 2021 respectively have been the closest they've come to a return.
Swansea will now welcome football royalty to their board as Modric prepares for life off the pitch.
Following promotion to the senior team at Dinamo Zagreb, the 39-year-old signed for Tottenham in 2008.
He made 160 appearances for the Premier League outfit and caught the eye of Spanish giants Madrid.
4
Modric signed for around £30million and has featured 583 times for the club, scoring 43 goals and assisting another 93.
The veteran has won 28 trophies with Madrid and could break the 30-mark this season as they fight for another three titles.
European football expert Andy Brassell joined Hawksbee and Jacobs on talkSPORT to talk about Modric's interest with Swansea.
"What a dream it would be to see him in the Championship!" he said.
"I think he could probably go at Real Madrid for another year or two, but maybe not if there are too many other games like the Arsenal one the other night."
Brassell was referring to their 3-0 Champions League quarter-final first leg loss to the Gunners last week ahead of the second leg this Wednesday, live on talkSPORT.
Eden Hazard played with Karim Benzema and Luka Modric, but says the 'most talented' teammate he ever had was Gael Kakuta at Chelsea
Brassell said: "I really felt that Modric was hung out to dry in that formation. It's funny, before the Arsenal game, I think I said to you guys last week, that the worst hour of Champions League football they had in the season before that Arsenal game was the first hour at Liverpool," Brassell added.
"They played [Federico] Valverde at right-back and terribly missed him in midfield. So what did they do? Again, played him at right-back instead of in midfield, it really made a difference.
Read More on talkSPORT
"They were all over the place, [Jude] Bellingham was trying to do the work of three, four men really so for them to say, 'We're a different kettle of fish at the Bernabeu.'
"If they defend like they've defended recently, they have got no chance in this second leg, at all. I think Arsenal just have to keep it together to get the result they need."