By PAT SHEEHAN
LUKA MODRIC has told Gareth Bale to join him at Real Madrid — so they can rule the world together.
Former Spurs midfielder Modric quit White Hart Lane at the start of this season in a deal worth £33million.
Now Modric, 27, is hoping Tottenham star Bale can be persuaded to play alongside him and Cristiano Ronaldo in a midfield the Croatia star describes as ‘unstoppable’.
Modric, who has been a massive hit at the Bernabeu since his controversial move, went public on his feelings for the first time and revealed how Bale had told him he wants big-time football.
He insisted: “We used to talk and I know he wants to play Champions League football every season and has a big dream of winning the Champions League.
“Madrid would be a great club for him to achieve his dreams.
“I play with Ronaldo here at Madrid and the way he just runs with the ball with such confidence and defenders back off him is exactly the same as Gareth.
“To have the both in the same team would be unstoppable.”
The key to any move is 23-year-year old Bale’s desire to experience football at the highest possible level he can — and pit himself against the very best week in, week out.
Wales star Bale is unlikely to gain regular Champions League football at Tottenham unless there is a massive investment in the team.
And Wales are currently rated among the minnows of world football — ranked just 66 by FIFA — with their chances of regularly qualifying for major international tournaments extremely slim.
Tottenham signed Bale on an improved four-year deal earlier this season. And manager Andre Villas-Boas was adamant after Bale scored at both ends in Wednesday’s 2-1 home win over Liverpool, which took Spurs fifth, that he was going nowhere.
White Hart Lane chief AVB said: “Gareth is performing at a tremendously high level at the moment, along with many of his team-mates. He is making a vital contribution as we seek to narrow the gap on the leaders.
“Like all of our key players, Gareth is on a long-term contract as we continue to build for the future and his progression will be of benefit to our team.”
Modric, too, was told by chairman Daniel Levy that he was not for sale and the Tottenham decision to stop him trebling his money at Chelsea in 2011 sparked a bitter war of words between the board and the player.
The Blues made a massive attempt to get playmaker Modric to move across London but Levy refused to cash in on a player who cost £16.5m from Dinamo Zagreb in 2008.
But the Spurs supremo eventually had to concede defeat and finally granted the Croat his wish to move to Spain in August.
Modric added: “Of course Spurs want to keep Bale — he is loved by the fans and it is easy to see why.
“But they must make Champions League football this season if he is to stay.
“If he decides to leave Spurs then every top club in Europe will want him.
“He is an intelligent guy and is open to new experiences.
“I know he sees the value in playing abroad, so when the time comes he will have a big decision to make.
“There is not a club in the world that would not want Gareth in their team.
“The way he plays scares defenders — and when he is in full flow there is no stopping him.
“It is not just that he has pace but he has the goals and creates goals to go with it.
“Already he is one of the best players in the world and he will only get better.
“There are some great players in the Premier League but for me Gareth is now the best and most dangerous.”
