Thanks to Juventus' signature of Cristiano Ronaldo, there is a brewing sense that the good times might be coming back to Serie A and that it may attract more elite players over to a league that was once the best on the continent.

One such player is Ronaldo's former Real Madrid team-mate Luka Modric who has been linked with Inter Milan, who Italian football writer James Horncastle, has already installed as the most likely side to challenge Juve's dominance ahead of the likes of an intriguing looking AS Roma, improving AC Milan and Carlo Ancelotti's Napoli who pushed the Bianconeri closest last season.

Horncastle joined Johnny Ward and Daniel McDonnell on the Football Show and while he feels Inter getting Modric in this window will be difficult, there is definite interest there between the relevant parties.

"Yeah, this is a runner. Inter have certainly been encouraged into thinking that Luka Modric would like to come to Inter," he said.

"They wouldn't have dedicated this much time and basically abandoned signing Arturo Vidal.

"Barcelona did come in for him to sign [Vidal] but I think Inter could have got that deal done earlier had they not been encouraged into thinking that Modric was a goer.

"I think the problem is that Juventus after signing Cristiano Ronaldo have created the situation at Real Madrid where the president doesn't want to feel like losing face after losing Ronaldo, after losing Zidane. Losing a player like Modric who was crowned best player at the World Cup and will be a big contender for the Ballon d'Or come January would be too much for him.

"But I think this is something Inter will be chasing down right until the end of the transfer window. But I think now, given how late it is, it's going to be very difficult for them to get this deal done."