Real Madrid transfer news: Carlo Ancelotti squad player to be offered new contract?

Los Blancos are warming to the task of winning the treble this campaign after their most recent results in La Liga and the Champions League.

A European last-16 showdown with Atletico Madrid is to come next month, while Sunday's victory over Girona has kept Real level on points with Barcelona at the top of the La Liga table.

Ancelotti deserves credit for keeping Real in the hunt for both trophies given the injuries that he has experienced to key defenders.

With that leading to two of his midfielders needing to be deployed in deeper roles, other players have needed to step up to task, and it appears that one could be rewarded with a new deal.

Yet another extension for Modric?

According to transfer expert Nicolo Schira, who was commenting on X, important figures at the Bernabeu would like to keep Luka Modric at the club until 2026.

The Croatian legend scored one of the goals of the season in the win over Girona at the weekend, adding to his impressive campaign considering that he is now 39 years of age.

Despite closing in on 40, Modric has incredibly made 17 starts and 22 substitute outings for one of the world's best clubs, chipping in with four goals and six assists.

Although there have been suggestions in the past that Modric may wish to try a new experience before hanging up his boots, it is unclear whether the situation has since changed.

Schira claims that Modric continues to have ambitions to play at the 2026 World Cup, at which point he would be three months short of his 41st birthday.

Modric recently started all six games for Croatia in the UEFA Nations League campaign, further adding to his remarkable longevity at the highest level.

A foregone conclusion?

Unless Modric pushes for an exit from Real, everything suggests that extending their relationship into a 14th year could suit all parties.

Modric has just entered the top 10 on the all-time list of appearance makers for Los Blancos, reaching 574 appearances, and he is only 74 outings behind fifth-placed Karim Benzema.

While that is unlikely to be a priority, it highlights the legacy that he has already cemented and where he places in history ahead of potentially spending another 15 months at the club.

Written by

Darren Plant