West Brom will always rue 2007 play-off heartbreak - It cost them a move for future Real Madrid superstar | OneFootball

If the Baggies had defeated Derby at Wembley that year, they would have likely bagged themselves a future Ballon d'Or winner...

West Brom have been the perennial yo-yo team between the Championship and the Premier League in the 21st century, being promoted or relegated no fewer than 10 times since 2001.

There was a period of time where the Baggies broke away from that tag with a consistent run in England's top flight between 2010 and 2018, even finishing in eighth position in 2012-13 under Steve Clarke, but no fewer than three times have Albion been promoted and gone back down at the first time of asking.

Back in 2007, West Brom had the chance to make it back to the Premier League immediately after their relegation a year prior, winning their way through a two-legged Championship play-off semi-final against bitter rivals Wolves.

It set up the first-ever second tier play-off final at the new Wembley against Derby County, but Tony Mowbray's side were to be downed 1-0 by a Stephen Pearson goal in the 61st minute, with Albion unable to fight back and get an equaliser.

Because of that result, it meant that West Brom missed out on a future Ballon d'Or winner, who was set to arrive at The Hawthorns in the event of an immediate Premier League return - the player in question was none other than Luka Modric.

How did West Brom miss out on Luka Modric signing in 2007?

18 years ago, with Albion closing in on a top flight comeback, their hierarchy - Jeremy Peace and Mark Jenkins - were involved in good relations with Croatian giants Dinamo Zagreb.

Dinamo were winners of Croatia's top domestic division that season, and somewhat central to their success was a young midfielder by the name of Luka Modric.

He wasn't a total unknown at the time, as he had been already capped 14 times by the end of the 2006-07 by the senior Croatian national team, but Modric was affordable and gettable at the time at the age of just 22.

There was just one caveat for West Brom though - they needed Premier League football to secure his signature, such was the talent of the diminutive playmaker.

Unfortunately though, West Brom falling at the final hurdle killed off their chances of signing Modric, as revealed by BirminghamLive in 2018.

And whilst Albion would go on to lift the Championship title in 2008, blessed with Eastern European talent such as Zoltan Gera, Robert Koren and others, Croatian sensation Modric had been growing his reputation back in his native country with Dinamo.

The 2007-08 season saw Modric hit double figures in goals and assists in the Prva HNL (Croatian top tier), and his strong performances in European competition prior to starring for his national side at EURO 2008 saw Tottenham take the plunge before the campaign was even out, agreeing a £15.8 million deal with Dinamo.

That is likely far more than Albion were set to pay a year prior for the midfielder's services, and it's seemingly one they'll always regret, as we know what Modric has ended up doing in the years that have followed.

Whilst he never won any accolades at Tottenham, Modric would flourish at Real Madrid after his 2012 transfer to the Spanish capital, winning the Ballon d'Or in 2018 after Croatia's run to the FIFA World Cup final, with four La Liga's and six UEFA Champions League winners medals to boot.

And yet, 18 years ago, he was so close to becoming a Baggie...

West Brom found success despite Luka Modric disappointment - but there will still be major regrets

On paper, West Brom's team in the 2007 Championship play-off final probably had far more quality than their opposition, but Billy Davies was able to mastermind the Rams' pathway into the Premier League.

No Modric, no problem for West Brom though in 2007-08, as they secured the second tier title, albeit it was a close call in the end, and iconic midfielders such as James Morrison and Chris Brunt would arrive that season instead of a little Croatian magician.

West Brom would have to suffer another relegation from the Premier League a year later, but their subsequent rise once more into the upper echelons of English football in 2010 would see them stay there for the next eight years.

Yet, you still have to wonder what would have happened if they went up in 2007 and landed Modric's services - he would have likely been a game-changer for West Brom if developed in the right way, and he clearly had all the ability in the world to kick on whoever was in charge of his destiny.