Modric move to Milan confirmed by new coach Allegri
The move means the 39-year-old midfielder, who announced in May that he would be leaving Madrid after the Club World Cup, will bring his 13-year spell at the Spanish giants to a close.
"Modric will arrive in August. He is an extraordinary player," Allegri told reporters in his first press conference as Milan manager.
Real face Paris St Germain in the Club World cup semi-finals on Wednesday, with the final scheduled for Sunday.
Modric, the 2018 Ballon d'Or winner, will join a Milan side looking to bounce back from a disappointing campaign that saw them finish eighth and miss out on European competition.
"To the fans, I say the most important thing is to work well every day," Allegri said. "The only way to regain respect is through responsibility and by achieving results. We will absolutely need their support."
The Italian, who has joined Milan for a second time after replacing the sacked Sergio Conceicao at the end of May, also outlined some key changes to the squad ahead of the new season.
Netherlands midfielder Tijjani Reijnders was sold to Manchester City in June while France left back Theo Hernandez could be on his way to Saudi Pro League side Al-Hilal.
"While Reijnders and Hernandez won't be part of the team next season, (goalkeeper) Mike Maignan and (forward) Rafael Leao seem willing to stay," Allegri said.
Milan will kick off their Serie A campaign on August 23 with a home fixture against Cremonese.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
CNA
10 hours ago
- CNA
How Singapore is 'home' for two swimmers representing Spain and Ireland at the World Aquatics Championships
SINGAPORE: For Spain's Carmen Weiler Sastre and Ireland's Jack Cassin, competing at the 2025 World Aquatics Championships has added significance. It is in host country Singapore where the two swimmers spent much of their adolescent years; where they cultivated friendships; and where they built the foundation of their sporting careers. To the pair, Singapore is special. "I don't even think I can ... express or put into words how I feel after this," Cassin told CNA, referring to competing in Singapore. He had just finished second in the heats of the men's 100m butterfly on Friday (Aug 1). "It has so much more emotion and depth attached to it, than it would be for any other swimmer here, because this is the place that I used to call home. It definitely feels like being back home." For Weiler Sastre, whose family moved to Singapore when she was just one, it was "surreal" to be back. "It's really special for me to come back and compete in front of my friends and family," she told CNA. "I really enjoyed growing up in Singapore ... I would say this is my home." Cassin and Weiler Sastre have known each other over the years, having trained and studied together at the Canadian International School and then the Nexus International School. 'When he told me that he was going to Singapore for worlds, I was really excited," said Weiler Sastre, 20, who is Spain's national record holder in the 100m backstroke. "We also went to the same place for a training camp in Malaysia in Kuching, so that was really cool to share that experience with him." "I WOULDN'T TRADE IT FOR ANYTHING" Both swimmers, who competed at the Singapore National Age Group Championships in the past, said the country has played a role in their growth as athletes. Weiler Sastre, who now studies at Virginia Tech university, credited her former Nexus coach Ivan Bunakov with helping to shape the "trajectory" of her swimming. "He taught me a lot about discipline ... and I really do think that helped me work hard in the US." In the United States, Weiler Sastre now trains under Sergio Lopez, the former coach of Singapore's only Olympic champion Joseph Schooling. "He's almost like a father figure to me. We're really close and he's helped me with a lot in the three years that I've been with him," said Weiler Sastre. "I think that he is one of the best coaches that there is." Cassin, 21, moved to Singapore at the age of nine after his mother found a job here. He then lived in Singapore for almost a decade. "It was definitely a big change (to come to Singapore) ... I never expected that I would be here for ten years," he said. "I definitely wouldn't be at the level of swimming I'm at now if I had never took this opportunity," said Cassin, who is the Irish national record holder in the men's 400m individual medley. "It's been such a good experience, I wouldn't trade it for anything." Cassin said there was a "huge" difference in access to facilities in Singapore, compared with Ireland. "Singapore is such a small country but you've so many pools ... Whereas other countries don't have that. In Ireland, we have two 50m pools and (the country) is 100 times the size of Singapore," he added. "In international schools, you have the pool and it's right next to the school, so it's just the convenience of it as well. It makes such a difference." Cassin will take to the pool again for the 4x100m medley relay on Sunday, the final day of competition.
CNA
13 hours ago
- CNA
Milner to honour former teammate Jota with jersey number switch
Brighton & Hove Albion's James Milner will don the number 20 shirt this season as a tribute to former Liverpool teammate Diogo Jota, who died in a car crash in Spain last month. Jota and his brother Andre Silva were killed in early July when their Lamborghini veered off the road and burst into flames in northwestern Spain. The Portuguese forward had worn the number 20 during his time at Liverpool, where he and Milner played together for three seasons before the veteran midfielder's move to Brighton in 2023. "Once I heard Carlos (Baleba) was looking to change his number and 20 was available, I wanted to do it as a mark of respect and obviously pay tribute to Diogo Jota," Milner said. "(He was) an amazing player I was fortunate to play with and a great friend as well. So it'd be a great honour to wear his number in the Premier League." Liverpool are permanently retiring the number 20 after consultation with the player's wife Rute and family. The squad number will not be used at any level, including the women's team and academy. The 39-year-old Milner recently agreed a one-year contract extension with Brighton and is chasing Premier League history of his own.
CNA
14 hours ago
- CNA
Rallying-Rovanpera leads the way in home Rally Finland
Double world champion Kalle Rovanpera made a solid start to his bid for a first home WRC win in Finland as the Toyota driver ended Friday's opening leg 4.9 seconds clear of Hyundai's Thierry Neuville. A mere 15.7 seconds separated the top five, with Hyundai's Adrien Fourmaux third and 2.8 seconds adrift of his Belgian teammate after 10 of the gravel stages through the Finnish forests. Toyota's Takamoto Katsuta was fourth and Finnish teammate Sami Pajari fifth. Rovanpera had not led a gravel rally this season before Friday but he hit the front after the second stage and was fastest in three of the day's nine stages. "It was a nice day, but not easy by any means. I am not really in my comfort zone at the moment, but we are pushing hard," he said. Both Rovanpera and reigning world champion Neuville agreed the stages had been too fast for comfort. "All flat-out and just taking risks - not at all what I like," said the Hyundai driver. Hyundai's championship leader Ott Tanak hit a tree on the seventh stage and was 10th. Toyota title rival Elfyn Evans, who is a single point behind, was seventh with teammate Sebastien Ogier in sixth.
