Luka Modric could still make an impact as a player for Swansea City at the age of 41, according to his former Tottenham teammate Alan Hutton. The Real Madrid legend and World Cup finalist became a minority investor in the Championship club in April last year, the first of several celebrity backers that later included Snoop Dogg and Martha Stewart.
Hutton, who played with Modric for three years at Spurs, offered his assessment this week. "Luka Modric probably could run games for Swansea at 41," Hutton said. He believes the Croatian's involvement, in any capacity, would be a huge benefit to the club. However, Hutton was clear about the likelihood of a playing return. "Do I think he'll go and play with Swansea? No, I don't.
He also expressed a hope that Modric, who remains on the books at AC Milan, will have a say in footballing decisions at the club's stadium. Manager Vitor Matos could potentially find a role for the experienced midfielder, though any move would involve a substantial fee.
The speculation arrives as Swansea City handle a mixed run of form despite sitting second in the Championship with 23 points from 12 games, comprising seven wins, two draws and three defeats. They are just two points behind leaders Middlesbrough. Their recent form in the last five matches is three wins and two defeats, with the two most recent results being losses. This includes a 5-0 defeat at QPR last Friday, 24 October, where Richard Kone scored a hat-trick and Jimmy Dunne added a brace. Prior to that, they lost 1-0 at home to West Ham on Saturday 17 October, with Divine Mukasa scoring the only goal. Their three wins in this sequence came against Millwall, Norwich and Lincoln.
Ahead of a home match against Blackburn this Saturday, 31 October, the focus returns to the pitch. The Swans will look to their current top scorer, A. Idah, who has four goals in 11 appearances this season, to help steady the ship after those back-to-back losses. The team has scored 16 goals and conceded 13 so far this campaign. The club's high-profile investment phase continues off the field, with fans now watching to see if Modric's influence extends beyond finance.
More detail at uk.sports.yahoo.com
