Manchester United Transfer Rumours: Luka Modric Would Be Terrific Addition

Exit Cesc Fabregas, enter Luka Modric.

That appears to be Manchester United's transfer plan. Fabregas reiterated his desire to stay at Barcelona this summer (h/t the BBC). United have been left looking for an alternative to fill the void in central midfield.

The Guardian's Jamie Jackson reported Modric could be that alternative:

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David Moyes is considering a bid for Luka Modric now that Manchester United's pursuit of Barcelona's Cesc Fábregas appears over, with the manager a long-term admirer of the Real Madrid playmaker.

With the 27-year-old having been transferred to Real from Tottenham Hotspur for £33m last summer, any initial offer for Modric would have to be in the region of £25m for a midfielder who fell down the pecking order under José Mourinho, who was his coach until the Portuguese rejoined Chelsea in the close season.

Moyes has made the purchase of a top-class goalscoring midfielder his priority this summer and was hopeful that Fábregas could become the first major signing of his tenure. But after the former Arsenal captain publicly stated on Thursday that he wished to remain at Barça, Moyes could now firm up his interest in Modric.

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This would be the perfect consolation for David Moyes after seeing Fabregas stay in Barcelona.

Signing Modric would be the step forward to get United competitive with Real Madrid, Barcelona, Bayern Munich, Juventus and Borussia Dortmund.

Even better, he's a signing the club should be able to make.

Modric had a hard time when he first moved to Real Madrid. He was voted one of the worst signings in 2012. In the second half of the season, he started to come into his own and was one of the club's best players.

Had Madrid not gone out and bought Isco and Asier Illarramendi, Modric might not want to leave the club after only one season.

However, his path to the first team just got that much harder. Isco is coming off a great season for Malaga and a strong European Under-21 Championship for Spain. Illarramendi arrived on a fee of £34 million. Given their previous experience in Spanish football, it doesn't make much sense for Madrid to buy these players only to sit them on the bench.

That should weigh heavily on Modric, given the World Cup is coming up in 2014. Croatia are second in Group A and have a position in the playoff almost secured. Modric needs to ensure that he's getting regular first-team football at one of the best clubs in Europe.

That's exactly what United can offer.

Madrid won't be quick to sell him. If offered around £25-30 million, Carlo Ancelotti might be willing to listen, especially as he could use that money to continuing pursuing Gareth Bale.

Meanwhile, United would be getting the deep-lying playmaker it so sorely needs.

Manchester United can win the Premier League without adding a creative midfielder this summer. They proved as much last year. The issue is whether or not the Red Devils can make up any ground in Europe without addressing that need.

If the club is content to stick with the likes of Anderson, Michael Carrick, Tom Cleverley, Ryan Giggs and Darren Fletcher in the centre of midfield, then it better get content with getting knocked out in the quarterfinals of the Champions League.

The trio of Nick Powell, Jesse Lingard and Adnan Januzaj do look promising. You're gambling a lot on young players, though, over the next couple of seasons.

Moyes needs players who can produce now in order to hit the ground running as manager. The last thing he needs happening is United struggling in his first season.

With his poor season in Spain, it's easy to forget just how good Modric was for Tottenham Hotspur.

There isn't a midfielder on United who can do what the 27-year-old Croatian can. Shinji Kagawa is a creative presence in the squad, but he's better off playing closer to goal, and Moyes might need him out on the wing.

Modric would be a metronome in the centre of United's attack. His vision and passing ability are some of the best in the world. According to Squawka, he completed 88 percent of his passes and created 56 chances.

Modric would provide a different dimension to United's attack. With one pass, he could cut apart an opposition defence. Given how little the Red Devils got from their wingers last year, that would be a godsend for Moyes. Robin van Persie, Wayne Rooney and Javier Hernandez wouldn't have to worry about what kind of service they're going to get.

The fight to pry Modric out of the Santiago Bernabeu will be tough. Unlike Fabregas, though, Modric is not untouchable. For the right price, both he and Madrid will be willing to follow through on the move.

With less than a month remaining in the transfer window, United can't afford to waste any time. They need to move quickly in order to get the deal done and allow Modric time to gel with the club.

Maybe losing out on Fabregas wasn't so bad after all.