Espanyol midfielder Alex Fernandez says that Luka Modric played a vital role in helping him convinced that a loan move to Rijeka was good at this stage in his career. Croatian outfit Rijeka managed to secure the signing of Fernandez, who has the potential to be a top midfielder.
However, the youngster has been starved of first-team opportunities at the Spanish club.
The 22-year-old has featured in only 166 minutes of legal action in the first half and his situation is unlikely to get any better in the second half. This has forced him to look elsewhere for regular football.
Fernandez says that he consulted with Modric, who hails from Croatia, in order to get a better idea ofRijeka. Modric reportedly has told the youngster that the Croatian league is the ideal place for youngsters to develop on a technical and physical level.Rijeka will be having Fernandez until the end of the campaign and the 22-year-old is hoping to maximise his chances at the Croatian outfit. Fernandez has also spoken about the impressive welcome that he has received atRijeka, where he has had two training sessions so far. The Croatian outfit are second in the table and trail leaders Dinamo Zagreb by seven points after having played 19 matches.
“Luka Modrić told me not to hesitate, that I should go and that it’s an ideal league for young players to progress and compete. Now that’s where I am and I’ve come to restore my confidence and to become an important player. I’ve had two training sessions so far and I’m delighted. I’ve been welcomed with open arms – they expect a lot from me. There’s not too much difference in how players train back in Spain, but they all give 200 percent at all times and they’re all very strong,” said Fernandez.