Real Madrid superstar rejects Premier League giants in favor of contract extension: Reports
Toni Kroos has reportedly decided to reject the chance to join Manchester City in order to stay at Real Madrid. Pep Guardiola was keen on a reunion, but the German is set to extend his stay at the Santiago Bernabeu.
As per a report in El Nacional, Kroos had the chance to join the Cityzens in the upcoming summer transfer window. He was heading towards the end of his contract at Real Madrid and City wanted to lure him to the Etihad.
However, the midfielder is reportedly not looking for a new challenge and will continue at the Santiago Bernabeu. He hinted at signing a new contract at Madrid after the win over Chelsea and was quoted by Football Espana saying:
"Everything is on the right track, but I also respect what the club wants: how and when it communicates. There is a good relationship that I have with the club over the years… And this issue has already been discussed for a while."
"There is absolute trust on both sides. The club knew from the beginning that I was not going to do anything stupid. Theoretically, I can sign for another team from January the first, but we didn't even start with this nonsense. There is a lot of trust there. I will most likely stay that way for a while," Kroos added.
Kroos had a decent outing in the second leg of the UEFA Champions League quarter-final clash against Chelsea. He made 68 passes, one tackle, and five ground duels. The German superstar was eventually taken off the pitch in the 76th minute.
Pep Guardiola wanted Real Madrid star to stay at Bayern Munich
Former Bayern Munich boss Pep Guardiola was not in favor of the club cashing in on Toni Kroos after his contract talks stalled. The German wanted a big increase in his wages, but club officials were unwilling to match his demands and sold him to Real Madrid.
The midfielder graduated from Bayern's U19 team to join the senior side in 2009. He was loaned out to Bayern Leverkusen for a season before returning to the Allianz Arena in 2010. He played 205 matches for Bayern across competitions, scoring 24 goals and making 49 assists before joining Real Madrid in 2014.
Kroos spoke about Guardiola wanting him to stay at Bayern and was quoted by MARCA saying:
"I loved playing for him. But I didn't believe it would be a good idea to sign an agreement just for the coach. He wanted me to renew my contract, but what sense did it make to sign a five-year contract if he was going to leave before that? The perception changed thanks to the brilliance of his football. The fans began to see football and the role of midfielders in a completely different way."
Kroos is heading towards the end of his contract and might be set to sign his final Real Madrid contract.