With many betting sites suspending prices on Modric’s move to Real Madrid with sources claiming that the Spanish giants had agreed personal terms with the player (Source: The Mirror), there has been a wave of acceptance amongst English fans, including Tottenham, Chelsea and Manchester United (with the latter two being linked with the playmaker over the last year or two) now looking elsewhere for a player of the similar mould. He is likely to slot in besides Xabi Alonso in the midfield for Real Madrid, and we will look to how his last season in the Premier League was in comparison to some of the playmakers featuring in the Spanish League.

Luka Modric in 2011-2012
(Premier League)

Appearances- 36
Goals- 4
Assists- 4

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Many watchers of the Premier League on a week to week basis may be valid in saying that these statistics do not provide the whole story to his contribution towards Tottenham’s race for a Champions League place. Often played out of position due to injuries to Gareth Bale and Aaron Lennon, Modric has been shifted out of position by having to deploy wide left and wide right positions to try and fill the gaps left by injuries, whilst trying to maintain a high quality performance for the teams cause. With a higher quality of talent around him at Madrid, with names like Ozil, Ronaldo and Benzema deploying positions further up the pitch for him to pinpoint with his vision, his assist to game ratio is likely to increase, and he may be able to chip in with a few more goals with the space left in midfield for him to attack with teams sitting back against Madrid.

Jesus Navas in 2011-2012
(La Liga)

Appearances- 37
Goals- 5
Assists- 12

Navas, being one of two players in the top 10 number of assists in La Liga who are not playing for either Barcelona or Real Madrid (with Castro of Mallorca being the other player) had a very different type of season to Modric, with Sevilla not competing for the higher places in the league, yet managed to outscore and provide more assists than the Croatian midfielder. Navas is an out and out winger, who will look to use his pace and ability on the ball to get past defenders and swing crosses into the box for strikers to attack. His lightening pace in comparison to Modric’s running power may be a factor in the number of goals scored, with the winger being able to run beyond the last defender and use his pace to get away and slot home.

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