Real Madrid and Croatia midfielder Luka Modric had at one point been close to joining Inter before he made the move to Los Blancos in the summer of 2012.
This according to Italian agent and intermediary Sabatino Durante, who told Italian news outlet TvPlay, via FCInter1908, that the Croat would have been happy to make the switch to the Nerazzurri from Tottenham Hotspur, but that Real swooped to get a deal done for him ahead of them.
Modric has established himself as one of the best midfielders of his generation during his time at Real.
The 37-year-old has won the Champions League five times with Los Blancos, in addition to winning the La Liga title on three occasions.
Modric captains his country, having led them to the World Cup final in 2018, whilst he will likely wear the armband again this evening in another World Cup semifinal, this time against Argentina.
The Real midfielder won the Ballon d’Or in 2018 off the back of the role that he played for his country at the World Cup.
Things could have been different, however, according to Durante.
According to the agent, the Nerazzurri had come close to signing the midfielder before he wound up in the Spanish capital.
“Modric was close to Inter,” he said, “but then in the end Real Madrid relaunched their bid for him.”
The agent noted that “He would have been more than happy to make the move, as he loves Italy.”