"Modric wanted to be the first Croatian to play for Man Utd"

The Croatian midfielder joined Real Madrid in 2012 from Tottenham and ten years have passed since then, but his life could have been very different.

Former Man Utd legend Rio Ferdinand said on the YouTube channel '5Magzine' that Luka Modric wanted to play for Ten Hag's side: "I spoke to him before he left for Real Madrid. I said to him: 'Are you leaving Tottenham?' And he said: 'Yes, I think I'm leaving'. At the time he wasn't sure where he was going and I said: 'You've got to come to United, man.

"He told me he wanted to be the first Croatian to play for Manchester United," Ferdinand added.

"Nevertheless, the club already had something with another player and they closed the deal. Then Modric went to Madrid and the rest is history. I never imagined Modric would do what he has done - what a player!," he concluded.