Real Madrid and Croatia icon Luka Modric has become an investor and minority co-owner of Championship side Swansea City.
The 39-year-old midfielder joins the club’s ownership group alongside Andy Coleman, Brett Cravatt, Nigel Morris, and Jason Cohen. The consortium completed the purchase of shares from former majority owners Jason Levien and Steve Kaplan in November.
Modric, who is still playing for Real Madrid and remains under contract until the end of the 2024-25 season, described the move as an exciting new chapter in his career.
“This is an exciting opportunity. Swansea has a strong identity, an incredible fanbase, and the ambition to compete at the highest level,” said Modric.
“Having played at the highest level throughout my career, I believe I can bring valuable experience to the club. My goal is to support Swansea’s growth in a positive way and help build an exciting future.”
This marks Modric’s first venture into football club ownership.
In a statement, Swansea City welcomed Modric’s involvement, calling it “an endorsement of the club’s ambition and vision.” The club also said the midfielder will play a key role in raising its global profile and supporting progress both on and off the pitch.
Swansea chief executive Tom Gorringe added:
“There is no better role model in football for our players — from academy level right through to the first team. His endorsement of our vision and his willingness to support us on this journey will be invaluable as we strive for improvement both on and off the field.
“In our conversations, Luka has shown real passion for the club, a strong understanding of our current situation, and a genuine desire to help us move forward.”
The Swansea City board echoed the sentiment, stating:
“From our first discussions, it was clear Luka shared our vision for the future. His knowledge, experience, and commitment will be a great asset to the club.”
The announcement comes against the backdrop of Swansea’s ongoing financial challenges. The club reported a pre-tax loss of £15.2 million for the most recent financial year — a slight improvement on the £17.9 million loss recorded the previous year. Turnover for the year ending June 30, 2024, stood at £21.5 million.
In their annual financial statement, the club noted:
“While the scale of operational losses reflects the highly competitive nature of the EFL Championship, the club remains committed to driving operational efficiencies in order to maximise investment in the first-team squad.
“The cost of running the stadium and two training facilities continues to grow, and with no immediate prospect of a redistribution agreement between the EFL and the Premier League, the club will remain reliant on the backing of its ownership group as the primary source of funding.”
