Luka Modric 'told he must RETIRE from international duty if he is to sign a new deal at Real Madrid'

Luka Modric has reportedly been handed an ultimatum by Real Madrid that he must retire from international duty if he is to sign a new contract at the club.

The 37-year-old's deal at the Bernabeu expires at the end of the season, with Modric having racked up 463 appearances over an 11-year-spell.

He is a legendary figure with Real, having won 21 trophies at the club, including five Champions League titles.

However, has not yet signed a new contract to prolong his stay in the Spanish capital.

Both Modric and the club are keen to extend his deal, but until a new contract is signed, speculation will persist.

And, according to German outlet Onefootball, Madrid have told Modric he must retire from international duty if he wants to stay with the club.

This is reportedly a non-negotiable condition and would see Modric - who has been a talismanic figure in Croatia's success at major tournaments over recent years - hang up his boots for his nation.

In total, Modric has won 162 caps for Croatia and was integral in their run to the World Cup final in 2018 and their third-place finish at the 2022 tournament.

Modric has previously said he will play for his country for as long as they require him and the midfielder has already confirmed to Croatia boss Zlatko Dalic that he will feature at the Nations League finals in the summer.

The report also states that those finals - where Croatia will be joined by Spain, Italy and the Netherlands - along with his country's performance in Qatar, has revitalised Modric's commitment to the national team.

Madrid boss Carlo Ancelotti was reportedly convinced the midfielder would retire following the World Cup, and Modric's desire to continue his international career may potentially harm his prospects of extending his time at the Bernabeu.

While he is committed to the Nations League finals, it is not yet known whether Modric will play in his country's Euro 2024 qualifying games against Wales and Turkey in March.

It remains to be seen what Modric will do, but in the meantime he will be focused on clawing back Madrid's eight-point deficit to Barcelona in LaLiga, while they also face Liverpool in the Champions League Round of 16 later this month.