Luka Modric has recalled how difficult it was to force through a move from Tottenham to Real Madrid due to the tough negotiating stance of Spurs chairman Daniel Levy.
Modric, 34, joined Los Blancos in 2012 for around £30m after impressing in the Premier League.
Since then he has gone on to win two La Liga titles and four Champions Leagues, and picked up the Ballon d'Or in 2018.
He releases an autobiography on Thursday, and in it he reveals how he had his difficulties with Levy when pushing for a move to the Bernabeu.
Modric wrote: "Those negotiations were tough. My representatives kept me informed about everything. Levy was driving them crazy: it seemed that every time they reached an agreement, he asked for something else.
"I was under a lot of stress, so were (wife) Vanja and the rest of my family. Twice my representatives called me, ‘Finally, we’ve agreed on everything, you’re flying to Madrid.’ And when, all happy, I would head for the airport, new information would arrive, ‘We have to put it off, there’s a new development’.
"The second time that happened, I was on the edge. Falling apart. Tortured by the lack of progress, I remember asking Vanja, ‘How can Levy be so unfair?"
Modric also revealed it took then-Madrid manager Jose Mourinho calling Levy to convince him to finally let the player go.
"Mourinho played a vital role; he was determined to bring me to Real, insisting on the transfer even when the Real officials lost their patience with Levy," Modric added.
"Mourinho himself called the Tottenham chairman and tried to persuade him to accept the offer, ‘otherwise Real could back out of it.'
"Generally speaking, Daniel Levy is an excellent chairman who fights for Spurs interests. The club’s recent results only attest to this.
"However, I resented him because on a couple of occasions he had promised to let me move to a bigger club and then broke his promise. For me, one’s promise and one’s word are more important than anything in the club’s or the player’s best interest."
Luka Modric’s official autobiography ‘Luka Modric: My Autobiography’ publishes on Thursday 20th of August (Bloomsbury, £18.99). Available to buy now.
