It looked like bad news for Arsenal when the reports came in this week that the Real Madrid and Croatia international midfielder Luka Modric had picked up an injury while on international duty. But now it seems as though it could actually help Arsenal to complete the transfer to solve the long running defensive midfield issue at the club.
At first look, the Modric injury that will keep him on the sidelines seemed to be the final nail in the coffin of our chances of signing Sami Khedira in the January transfer window, because it opened up the opportunity for the German to play regularly, while Madrid manager Carlo Ancelotti would be reluctant to let him leave.
And while that may be true, the Daily Star have reported that this situation could actually open the door to the transfer of another Real Madrid midfielder, the young Spaniard Asier Illarramendi. The 24-year old moved to Madrid last summer after starring for Real Sociedad in the deep lying midfield role but he has failed to force his way into the first team and has only started three games this season, compared to the 16 started by both Modric and Toni Kroos.
And the report claims that Illarramendi is ready to force a January move if Khedira now gets the nod ahead of him. So it looks like one of the two Madrid players will be playing and staying at the Bernabeu. The other could well be right at the top of Arsene Wenger’s transfer list.