Cristiano Ronaldo might be the Best Player in the World™, but he wouldn’t improve Barcelona’s team as much as one of his Real Madrid teammates.
That’s the view of a survey of Barça fans, at least, after they voted for Luka Modrić as the one player in the world they would most like to welcome to Camp Nou.
It makes some sense – with the trio of Lionel Messi, Luis Suárez and Neymar, they hardly need more attacking firepower – but it is a testament to the importance of the Croatia midfielder to Zinedine Zidane’s team.
The survey – carried out by Spanish newspaper Mundo Deportivo – saw Barcelona fans vote for Modrić above all others, with Arsenal’s Catalan full-back Héctor Bellerín in second place.
Mundo Deportivo poll: the (Madrid) player Barça fans would most like to sign….Luka Modric. Everyone loves Luka. pic.twitter.com/oCfhtdiHot
— Sid Lowe (@sidlowe) December 27, 2016
‘Another conclusion that can be drawn from the survey that Mundo Deportivo has made…is that [the fans] are very clear that Barça should strengthen the defensive zone,’ the paper says.
Other names to feature high up on the list are Madrid defender Sergio Ramos, who scored a late equaliser in the last Clásico, and Modrić’s international teammate Darijo Srna.
The inclusion of both Bellerín and Srna suggests fans are keen to strengthen the right-hand side of defence most urgently.
Since Dani Alves’ departure to Juventus in the summer, neither Aleix Vidal nor Sergi Roberto has set the world alight when used on the right of Barcelona’s back four, so it would not be a surprise for Luis Enrique’s side to attempt to bring La Masia alumnus Bellerín back to Camp Nou sooner rather than later.
