Real Madrid Reportedly Eye Christian Eriksen as Possible Luka Modric Replacement

Real Madrid reportedly want to sign Tottenham Hotspur star Christian Eriksen, as rumours continue to swirl about Luka Modric potentially leaving the club this summer. 

According to Alex Richards of the Daily Mirror, with Inter Milan said to be keen on Modric and Mateo Kovacic set to join Chelsea on loan for the upcoming campaign, there's a danger the European champions will be light in midfield. Eriksen is their top target to replace the pair.

"The Dane's rise at Spurs hasn't gone unnoticed, having grown from a fledgling talent into one of the Premier League's elite, and he is the No.1 pick," it's noted by Richards. "However, although the clubs do have a good relationship, Los Blancos are more than aware of the difficulties of negotiating with Daniel Levy."

The two clubs have previously done business, with Modric moving from Spurs to the Spanish capital in 2012. A year later they sold Gareth Bale to the Madrid outfit too.

ROLAND HARRISON/Getty Images

However, losing Eriksen would be a huge blow for Tottenham at this stage of the summer. The transfer deadline for English sides to buy players is is 5 p.m. BST on Thursday, and given the north Londoners have yet to sign anyone in this window, cashing in on one of their key men would be unlikely to be well received at this juncture.

It's noted in the report that Real will continue to monitor Eriksen this season as a result, with a view to potentially making a move in the future.

The Denmark international relished the role of being the team's key creative player last season. As these numbers illustrate, he's capable of making chances and taking them himself:

He's slightly different to Modric, though. While the Real Madrid man sits in a deeper position and manages the game, Eriksen is at his best in a more advanced role, where he can fire off shots at goal and make a decisive pass in the final third.

In truth, there isn't anyone who could realistically replicate Modric's influence at Madrid, as he controls his team's play with such elegance and intelligence. Following the summer sale of Cristiano Ronaldo to Juventus, the departure of another key part of the team's spine would be a significant blow for Madrid.

As relayed by ItalianFootballTV, according to Sky Italia, the European champions are doing what they can to delay a transfer:

Eriksen would potentially be a fine addition for Madrid and give them even more inventiveness to complement the likes of Isco and Marcos Asensio.

Spurs surely won't budge in this window, although it may be something they have to be concerned about looking ahead, especially if Inter do manage to pull off the shock signing of Modric.

While Eriksen will be well aware of the strides he has made at Tottenham under Mauricio Pochettino, he'll also be keen to clinch some silverware in the peak years of his career. There aren't many clubs more capable of catering for such ambitions than Real.