Ally McCoist urged Rangers to sign 'outrageous' Luka Modric before Tottenham move, but Scottish giants 'didn't have the money', with Croatian still starring for Real Madrid aged 36

That's according to Ibrox legend Ally McCoist, who has once again told the story of how he urged his superiors to splash some cash to land the midfield maestro when he was still playing in Croatia.

There's a reason why McCoist was harking back to this sliding doors moment, after watching a 36-year-old Modric help Real Madrid to their stunning comeback against Paris Saint-Germain in the Champions League last-16.

After watching the former Tottenham man prove he's still got it despite turning 37 later this year, it left the legendary striker with a feeling of 'what might have been', as he told the story about his possible move to Glasgow.

"He's some footballer, Modric," McCoist said on the talkSPORT Breakfast. "I told you the story about Modric didn't I, Al?"

Not heard it? Here's what Ally first revealed on the talkSPORT airwaves back in 2019…

"Dinamo Zagreb were playing Hajduk Split and Walter [Smith] sent me over to watch the game looking at the big boy [Vedran] Corluka.

"So I went over to watch the game, Corluka was fine, I came back and Walter asked me how it all went.

"I said: 'Yeah it's a good team and Corluka is a good player, you'd take him all day'.

"But I also said: 'I tell you right now, I don't know how much money we've got in the bank account but there was a wee fella playing in the middle of the park, Luka Modric'.

"He just looked light-years ahead of everyone else on the pitch.

"I said: 'Go and see him, and if you can get him gaffer he is unbelievable, out of this world'.

"So anyway, Walter picked up the phone and then put it back down. He said: 'Nah forget it'.

"It was just too much for us, I can't remember the exact figure but he was too much for us, and of course the rest of history."

The Scottish giants failed to sign either player, with Corluka later signing for Man City - before their multi-million Abu Dhabi takeover - while Modric moved to Spurs in a £16million deal.

Well, McCoist has now revealed how much Rangers were quoted, and it was an absolutely steal for the future Ballon d'Or winner - and yet just out of their reach.

Ally added: "Walter phoned me after the game and asked me, 'so what do you think?'

"I said, 'I'll tell you what to do, gaffer, they've got a wee boy in the middle of the park, he is absolutely outrageous.

"I said, 'see how much money we've got', and I think we could have got him at that time for £3.5million or something.

"But we didn't have the money."

So, Modric's early career might have been very different had Ally got his way, but there's no doubt he still would have gone to the very top.

He'd probably still be exactly where he is now, still pulling the strings at Real Madrid and helping the Spanish giants take a step closer to a 14th European Cup - and what would be the fifth of his career, if they go all the way.