Fabrizio Romano claims 'deal agreed' for Real Madrid star to part-own Leeds United's Championship rivals

One of Leeds United’s Championship rivals look set to welcome a Ballon d’Or winner to their ranks amid reports Luka Modric has ‘agreed a deal’ to become part-owner of Swansea City.

Modric is approaching the end of his 13th year at Real Madrid and despite turning 40 in September, remains hopeful a new contract can keep him playing at the Bernabeu beyond this summer. But the Croatian midfielder will soon hang up his boots and appears to be planning for life after retirement with a shock move to the Championship.

Fabrizio Romano reported on Monday the 39-year-old had agreed terms to become a minority shareholder at mid-table side Swansea City, who were taken over by a group of American businessmen in November. A ‘new era’ was promised and Modric is seemingly keen to be part of it all, with the man who was crowned the world’s best player in 2018 hoping to impart some wisdom in Wales.

In an X post on Monday afternoon, Romano wrote: “Luka Modrić, set to become new Minority Owner at Swansea. Modrić will become one of the owners of the Championship club, deal agreed. This does not affect his pro career, as he wants to continue playing for Real Madrid again, as reported last month.”

Should Modric extend his playing contract at Real Madrid, it remains to be seen how his time will be split but the veteran midfielder, who has played 583 games for Los Blancos, will undoubtedly provide a level of experience unmatched in the Championship. The Croatian has six Champions League medals and another four from La Liga as part of an incredible honours list.

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Swansea will spend the 2025/26 campaign in the Championship again, with the Welsh side currently 12th and under interim management, but there is hope under new ownership they can build towards promotion. Leeds will hope they become of little interest to Modric and his fellow Swans shareholders, with Daniel Farke’s side closing in on automatic promotion this season.

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Modric looks set to continue playing into his 40s and the midfielder is still turning out regularly for Champions League quarter-finalists Real Madrid, an incredible feat. Prior to his 13-year spell in the Spanish capital, Modric spent four years at Tottenham Hotspur and even came up against Leeds on one occasion.

The midfielder was into his second campaign at Tottenham when Leeds went to White Hart Lane for an FA Cup fourth round clash in January 2010. The Whites were flying high in League One and buzzing off the back of their third-round win at Manchester United, with more cup drama to come.

Top-flight Spurs looked set to end the FA Cup dream at 2-1 up courtesy of goals from Peter Crouch and Roman Pavlyuchenko. But Leeds won an added-time penalty and Jermaine Beckford converted, scoring his and Leeds’ second to book a replay at Elland Road.

Modric watched that replay from the bench as his side cruised to a 3-1 win, meaning the midfielder only played Leeds the one time before moving to Madrid in 2012. And virtually everyone in West Yorkshire will hope he doesn’t return to Elland Road next season, given that would probably mean Farke’s side had missed out on promotion.

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