Real Madrid are apparently looking to replace Luka Modric with Manchester United’s Kobbie Mainoo, after failing to recruit a’mouth-watering’ Manchester City player.

Modric will be remembered as a Madrid great after spending 12 years with the club, earning five Champions League crowns and three La Liga titles.

Phil Foden ‘impossible’The Croatia international has not been offered a new contract and may leave the club in the summer, but manager Carlo Ancelotti has offered him a position on his coaching staff if he wishes to stay at the Bernabeu.

In any event, Madrid is looking for a successor, and Spanish daily Nacional reports that president Florentino Perez has Mainoo in mind, as signing first choice Phil Foden is regarded ‘impossible’.

Foden scored a spectacular goal at the Bernabeu on Tuesday that left ‘Real Madrid’s mouth watering,’ but Perez knows he won’t be able to attract him away from City.

Mainoo means ‘excellent caviar’.Mainoo, described as ‘excellent caviar’, has ‘aroused the interest’ of Madrid and is regarded to be equivalent to Foden despite only making his United debut this season.

The source goes on to say, “Mainoo is a total soccer player.” With an ideal physique, the Englishman is a player capable of falling to the side, appearing in the area from the second line, having a wonderful shooting on the ball, and being able to assist in the physical withdrawal.

Perez is ‘banking on young talents,’ and Jude Bellingham’s impressive start to his career in Madrid will only fuel the president’s ambition to sign more young English talent.

Mainoo scored a fantastic goal in the 2-2 draw with Liverpool, but United legend Gary Neville believes the 18-year-old still has a lot to learn in terms of midfield placement after failing to do “the basics of the game” with Casemiro.

“Look where Mainoo is—he’s ahead of the ball on a throw-in. “For a central midfielder, I always think – and Bruno Fernandes had to run back,” Neville told Sky Sports.

“Forget about that [man-marking system], forget about Mac Allister, and don’t get ahead of the game. You can always work up to that one. He’s moving up there now; it defies logic and is fundamental to the game.

“He doesn’t need to be chasing across the pitch right now.” Garnacho and Hojlund can handle that. Look at the area behind him, alongside Casemiro. Mac Allister has entered that space. Just the basics.

“Look where Casemiro and Mainoo have gone; it opens up a passage there. To be honest, it’s really basic. The absolute basics. It’s so simple to play against Manchester United’s midfield.

“It’s the most odd and peculiar, and if you’ve ever watched football or played midfield – or any position on the game – you know these are the kinds of things you learn as a 12-year-old. Bruno has gone there, and he has no chance of getting near that pass.”