Luka Modric is not walking away from AC Milan. According to Croatian outlet Germanijak, the 40 year old midfielder has decided to stay for one more season. A new one-year deal is expected to be signed midweek.
The terms mirror last year’s contract. Modric will earn around 3.5 million euros plus performance bonuses, the same package that brought him to San Siro in the summer of 2025. His original deal ran through June 30, 2026, with a club option to extend into 2027. That option is now set to become reality.
The timing matters. Modric had every reason to consider stepping away this summer. Croatia’s run at the 2026 World Cup ended early, with a 2-1 loss to Portugal in the Round of 32. It was a hard landing for a player who reached the World Cup final in 2018 and finished third in 2022. Instead of using that exit as a farewell, Modric chose to keep playing.
Why Amorim wants him back
New Milan head coach Ruben Amorim has pushed hard for the extension. He has been direct about why he still values a player entering his 41st year.
“I think he’s a key player for us, especially at the start, to get more possession,” Amorim said. “I’m not saying he’ll play every game, but we really want to count on him next season.”
That framing tells you what role Modric is expected to play. He will not be an every-week starter carrying a full 90 minutes across a long season. He will be the player Amorim leans on early in games and in matches where controlling the ball matters most. Sky Sport Italia reported that the club’s steady pursuit of Modric, paired with Amorim’s plan for the midfield, ultimately convinced him to stay.
| Detail | 2025-26 season |
|---|---|
| Appearances | 37 |
| Minutes played | 2,864 |
| Contract value | 3.5 million euros plus bonuses |
| Contract length | One year |
Those numbers matter because they show a player still holding up physically. Thirty-seven appearances and nearly 2,900 minutes is a heavy workload for anyone past 40. Few midfielders his age carry that kind of load in a top European league.
A personal tie to the club
There is a deeper layer to this decision beyond tactics and money. Modric grew up as an AC Milan fan. As a boy, he watched fellow Croatian Zvonimir Boban run the midfield in the 1990s. Signing for Milan in 2025 was not just a career move. It closed a loop that started decades earlier for a kid in Zadar.
His international future is a separate question, and one he has not fully settled. Modric recently met with Croatia’s new head coach, Slaven Bilic, who has publicly said he wants Modric to keep playing for the national team. No final call has been made public yet. Reports suggest a possible farewell ceremony could take place during Croatia’s Nations League match against Spain on October 6, though that remains speculative for now.
For Milan, the picture is clearer. Modric is expected to link up with the squad for their preseason tour of Australia, which begins July 26. Barring a late change, he will be wearing the number 14 shirt again when Serie A kicks off.
The bigger question hanging over all of this is simple. How much longer can a player in his 40s keep performing at this level in one of Europe’s top leagues? Modric has already answered that question for one more year. Milan fans will find out over the coming season whether that answer holds up.
