The illustrious Croatian has only started four games this year, so this coming winter, moving to Major League Baseball would be too alluring to resist.

Inter Miami was unable to earn a spot in the MLS playoffs. The Herons lost form and were no longer in the running to qualify for the postseason while Lionel Messi recovered from an unidentified injury. Players like Lionel Messi, Sergio Busquets, and Jordi Alba won’t play another competitive club match until the end of February, after Miami plays their final game of the season on October 21.

It is therefore not a surprise that transfer rumors have started as Miami plans their upcoming offensive offensive in an attempt to ignite a legitimate title push in 2024. While a few new local players will surely arrive, most notably through the Major League Soccer SuperDraft, all eyes will be on which international superstar Messi can entice to join him in South Florida.

After being turned down by his current club Gremio for a summer transfer, Luis Suarez, a striker from Uruguay, is still being connected to a reunion with his three former Barcelona teammates. But since his contract expires at the end of the year, it seems likely that he will make that transfer.

Luka Modric, who has been linked to a move to South Beach after falling out of favor at Real Madrid, is possibly the most intriguing name to have emerged in the gossip columns. Miami owner David Beckham is supposedly pushing the club’s interest in Modric.

This isn’t an obituary for a Modric football player. It’s also not a claim that the 38-year-old midfielder is worthless on the field of play. It’s also not a piece of advice for Beckham or Florentino Perez. Instead, it’s an examination of an odd reality: the Ballon d’Or winner from 2018, who is perhaps the best midfield player of his generation, is no longer able to play much for his team.

Thus far this season, Modric has essentially served as Carlo Ancelotti’s team’s reliable backup, but there’s a chance that his contribution will increase as the months pass. Modric, however, is an exceptional player who seems to merit a larger role, wherever that may be, as a midfielder.

It might be time for him to say farewell to Santiago Bernabeu sooner than he thought, as he has the possibility to play regularly once more in the near future, albeit at an MLS team.

A word of caution comes to pass

Modric’s reduction in playing time has always been anticipated. Ever since participating in almost every match during the 2020–21 campaign, the Croatian’s role has gradually diminished. Despite being a standout performer during Madrid’s 2021–22 Champions League winning season, he only made 25 starts in La Liga.

The previous year was more difficult. In the Spanish top division, Modric only made 19 starts, but he was a lock for European knockout competitions. However, considering that Madrid is chasing Barcelona in the La Liga title battle, it says volumes that he was only able to participate for half of the season.

In January, Ancelotti acknowledged that his seasoned midfield wizard may have to get used to playing fewer minutes going forward, stating: “They (Modric and Toni Kroos) know there’s a lot of quality inside this squad.” This is a time of change. At the beginning of the season, I spoke with them about this.”

In Modric’s instance, the manager has kept his word during this campaign. The former Tottenham player was in the starting lineup for the team’s biggest game of the season—the Madrid derby against Atletico—despite having only four starts overall. But he had very little impact on that match, and Los Blancos were a stronger team once he was substituted for more legs in the middle.

At a press conference on Wednesday, Modric asserted his ability to contribute and defended himself, saying, “It’s definitely a new situation for me not to play as much as before and as much I would like to.” My goal is to always play, feel my best, and be ready to give it my all.”

The Miami Major League is becoming more than just a league for people who can’t cut it in Europe. In the past 15 years, American soccer has seen significant changes, and the league is now significantly more competitive than it was. The large sums of money spent on Major League Soccer players and their success in Europe afterward demonstrate that this setup is no longer amusing. Thiago Almada of Atlanta United may be the league’s brightest young player in world football.

As demonstrated by a specific Argentine and his companions from Catalunya, there still a market for well-known figures to partake in a final gig. And Modric is undoubtedly the prototypical player who might play out his playing career in America.

He might even be the ideal addition for Miami, in fact. This European star might possibly fit into a team that is in dire need of a third midfielder. He has the reputation to sell jerseys and the quality to quickly strengthen the team he joins.

Three Busquets, Benjamin Cremaschi, a teenager, and Modric together would make for an intriguing and exciting team in the Eastern Conference. Although there are several MLS clubs that are noticeably better than Miami, glory is not a given. However, if competition is what’s important, Modric will undoubtedly find it in Florida.

Of course, there is a romantic element to it all. Seeing Busquets and Modric play together in the middle would be interesting to see because they were previously fierce enemies on the football field. If Suarez did truly sign on, the squad that features four former Barcelona players plus one of the main Madrid players who deprived them several La Liga and Champions League crowns would be one of those special creations that only Major League Baseball could dream up.

How was Modric’s move possible?

It wouldn’t be insurmountable to convert this to engineering. At this moment, Modric has fulfilled his obligation to Madrid and has earned the freedom to depart anytime he pleases. Although Ancelotti may not be a huge loss on the field based on his current selections, Madrid supporters will probably accept that fact.

Of course, there are off-field ramifications to take into account here. Bellingham has acknowledged that having daily training sessions with Modric and Kroos was a major factor in his early success. Nor can Modric’s impact in the locker room be disregarded. Moreover, he would surely want to compete for the opportunity to win both domestic and European medals this season.

However, if he doesn’t have a major role in it, how much might it really mean? When is it OK to give up on the current project and begin a new one?

Modric would be thrust into MLS midway through the season if he were to depart Madrid at the end of the current campaign, like Messi, Busquets, and others did last summer. Imagine requesting a 38-year-old to relocate during Europe’s January transfer window—any 38-year-old would do. It’s not exactly a formula for surefire success. The season officially starts at the end of February, however MLS clubs can start signing players as early as January 31. Modric will have over a month to adjust, even in the event of no move happening right now.

Modric may then depart on his own terms and at a time that suits everyone. With little fuss, he may end one chapter and begin a new one. These could be ideal circumstances for a club legend who want to avoid the talk of someone else taking his starting position for the next six months.