Football Espana
·1 June 2025
La Liga club’s president discusses possible deals for Cristiano Ronaldo and Luka Modric

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Yahoo sportsFootball Espana
·1 June 2025
In recent years, a number of Real Madrid icons have left the club, with the latest being veteran midfielder Luka Modric. Both he and Cristiano Ronaldo will be available as free agents during the summer, and both could be set for a shock return to the Spanish capital.
But it would not be Real Madrid that they’d be joining, with that avenue closed off for the remainder of their playing careers. But rather, Rayo Vallecano could welcome both Ronaldo and Modric with open arms.
Rayo have a knack for signing iconic players, with Radamel Falcao and James Rodriguez among those to have signed in recent years. And as president Raul Martin Presa told Onda Cero (via ED), the door is open for Ronaldo or Modric to join up with Inigo Perez’s squad.
“Falcao wanted to live in Madrid and came; players like Modric or Cristiano know that if they want to play for Rayo, they will live in Madrid but they cannot earn what they have earned.”
Luka Modric will be a free agent after this summer’s Club World Cup (Image via Diario AS)
A move to Rayo could be an attract prospect for both players, given that they will be playing in the UEFA Conference League next season. Neither has won the competition since it was created a few years ago, so there could be a desire to tick that off before their playing careers come to an end.
It is highly likely that either Ronaldo or Modric will consider joining Rayo this summer, but the option is there. It will be very interesting to see where either player ends up, with the options right now looking to be the MLS or Saudi Arabia – although Europe is not completely ruled out.