Fans left perplexed as Luka Modric becomes minority owner at mid-table Championship club

Luka Modric is set to become the minority owner of a Championship club while continuing his playing career, according to a report.

Modric, 39, has been an ever-present member of Real Madrid since moving to the Bernabeu in 2012 – but his contract expires at the end of the season.

Having signed from Tottenham in the summer of that year, he has gone on to make 583 appearances for the Spanish giants, winning 28 trophies over 13 seasons.

Last month, the veteran maestro revealed he wishes to retire in Madrid. He said: ‘Yes, I’d like to retire at Real Madrid, it would be a dream for me’.

But there has been no obvious urgency surrounding Modric’s contract situation with Los Blancos. 

And now, the midfielder will become a part owner of Swansea City, according to Fabrizio Romano, further raising questions on whether the sun is setting on his playing career.

The 39-year-old’s contract with Los Blancos is set to expire at the end of the 2024-25 season

Modric reportedly wants to balance club ownership with playing for Real beyond next season

The report insists that Modric’s venture into club ownership will not affect his playing career, as he wants to continue at Madrid beyond this season.

Fans took to social media to express their bewilderment at the news, labelling it ‘random’ and ‘unexpected’.

One fan wrote on X: ‘One of the weirdest posts I have ever seen! Completely out of the blue.’

Another said: ‘This is extremely random.’

A third commented: ‘This is quite unexpected.’

Swansea lie smack-bang in the middle of the Championship table – in 12th place – and are out of playoff contention.

Meanwhile, Modric still plays regular minutes for Madrid amid their title fight with Barcelona and bid to make the Champions League semi-finals.

Carlo Ancelotti’s side are six points off their rivals in LaLiga, while they seek to overturn a 3-0 deficit against Arsenal in the quarter-finals this week.

Swansea are currently 12th place in the Championship and well out of playoff contention

Football fans were quick to share their surprised reactions to the bizarre news on social media 

Modric joins a plethora of current football stars to own a club and play at the same time. 

In 2024, Kylian Mbappe acquired an 80 per cent stake in Ligue 2 side SM Caen through Coalition Capital.

After his move to Saudi Arabia, N’Golo Kante purchased and became chairman of Belgian third-tier club Royal Excelsior Virton in 2023. 

LaLiga rules and FIFA regulations do not prohibit a player from owning a club in another league, provided the clubs that the player is affiliated with do not compete in the same competition.