"It's not about money" - Real Madrid star claims he would lower his salary if asked because he's a Madridista
Toni Kroos has said that he would be willing to lower his salary if Real Madrid asked him to.
The German superstar was on the verge of becoming a free agent this summer, and talks of a potential retirement were surfacing, but he opted to pen a year-long extension to remain at the club.
As per Capology, Kroos' salary has been kept the same. However, the player seemingly would have been open to a reduced wage had the club made the request. He said recently (h/t @MadridXtra on Twitterb):
"If I have to lower my salary, I would do it without any problem because when you're a Madridista, it's not about money."
Barcelona notably asked many players to lower their wages in the last couple of seasons to help them deal with their financial troubles. If Real Madrid made a similar request to Kroos, he would apparently comply.
The 33-year-old is a bonafide Real Madrid legend, registering 27 goals and 89 assists in 418 games and winning 20 titles. It remains to be seen if Kroos extends his contract at the Santiago Bernabeu beyond 2024.
Carlo Ancelotti doesn't want to label Real Madrid legends as bench players
Luka Modric (37) and Toni Kroos (33) are in the twilight of their trophy-laden careers. They're no longer the players they used to be in their heyday.
Time does that to the best of players, but manager Carlo Ancelotti does not think of them as substitutes. In fact, the Italian tactician reckons they have a major part to play in the squad this season.
The Italian tactician told the club's website after his team's 2-0 La Liga win against Athletic Bilbao on August 13 (h/t MadridUniversal):
"They’re part of a squad that has a lot of quality. I can’t say that they’re going to be substitutes. They’re very important players. I’ve chosen this line-up today, but I might change it next week."
Kroos and Modric both renewed their contracts by another year this summer. They were brought on as substitutes late in the second half against Athletic Bilbao. Aurelien Tchouameni, Jude Bellingham, Eduardo Camavinga and Federico Valverde had started in a four-man midfield.