Milan Paid €30 Million for Him
Mario Gila reveals Luka Modrić was the key reason for his move to San Siro, recalling their time together at Real Madrid.
Mario Gila reveals Luka Modrić was the key reason for his move to San Siro, recalling their time together at Real Madrid.
Spanish defender Mario Gila (25) became Milan's new signing this summer, with the Italian club paying €30 million to Lazio for him. Despite having offers from several clubs, Gila openly admitted that it was Luka Modrić, the Croatian footballer and his new teammate, who played a decisive role in his decision to join San Siro.
Gila and Modrić first met at Real Madrid, where the Spaniard trained with the first team as a young player. Born in Barcelona, Gila moved to Madrid as a teenager from Espanyol, playing for the youth and reserve teams, but he never got a real chance in the first team.
"Luka Modrić is truly special. I was lucky to meet him when I was a youth player at Real Madrid. I trained with them, and I will always remember that," Gila told Gazzetta dello Sport.
Although he didn't manage to break into the first team at Real, Modrić remained one of his biggest football idols. "Even though I didn't gain as much experience at Real as I would have liked, I always looked up to Luka as a football role model. He's a player you can admire, watch, and learn from," Gila said.
Reuniting with Modrić at Milan is something special for Gila. "It's a stroke of fate to be with Luka together at Milan. I'm enjoying being able to talk to him again and get to know him properly. Listening to his advice and absorbing everything he tells you is truly special. I'm sure he'll help me progress as a footballer," the Spanish defender stated.
In the end, he practically confirmed what was already suspected-that Modrić was one of the decisive reasons he chose Milan. "From my whole story, you can conclude that Luka is perhaps the biggest reason I accepted to come to Milan. I'm sure I didn't make a mistake," Gila concluded.
Gila left Real Madrid in 2022, when he moved to Lazio for €21 million. After four seasons in Rome, where he established himself as a reliable defender, came the big transfer to Milan worth €30 million.
After arriving at San Siro, he will again have the chance to be in the same dressing room as Luka Modrić, whom he idolized in his youth, and now, as a Milan player, he will strive to learn from him. Their age difference is 16 years, but Gila doesn't hide his excitement about being alongside the Croatian midfielder once more.
