Manchester City are reportedly set to offer a lucrative €15 million-a-year deal in order to lure Real Madrid playmaker Toni Kroos to Etihad for free next summer.
According to Spanish outlet Defensa Central, Manchester City are interested in signing Real Madrid midfielder Toni Kroos on a free transfer next summer and are willing to “double” his current salary to make a move happen.
The 33-year-old only recently penned a one-year contract extension at Real Madrid that runs until June 30, 2024, meaning that, as it stands, he will be free to hold talks with foreign clubs over a pre-contract in January.
Kroos did have other options, with big money offers from both North America and the Middle East on the table. But he opted to stay put in Spain. The former Bayern Munich star previously said that he would be “retiring” at Real Madrid. But he recently claimed that he is yet to make a decision on his future in the game.The former Germany international has established himself as one of the best midfielders in modern history. The 2014 World Cup winner has achieved so much in the game, with the majority of that having been done in the Spanish capital, where he has won three La Liga titles and four Champions Leagues.
However, he has been playing second fiddle for most of the ongoing season. Kroos has made 11 appearances across all competitions. However, he has started only five of those matches, amassing a total game time of 538 minutes.
That’s because of Los Blancos’ rich pool of talented young midfielders, consisting of players like Jude Bellingham, Eduardo Camavinga, Aurelien Tchouameni, and Federico Valverde. However, Kroos’s stellar performances in recent matches have illustrated that he deserves to be more than just a squad player.
With no movement between the player’s camp and the club in regards to a new deal, there has been some fresh speculation over his future. Per Defensa Central, Manchester City are among a host of Premier League clubs monitoring his situation very closely.
City are well-stocked with central midfielders after signing Mateo Kovacic and Matheus Nunes over the past summer transfer window, while Rodri and Kalvin Phillips are the recognised options in the holding role. But the report claims City are prepared to pay Kroos €15 million per year in wages.
That would be a significant increase from the €9 million-a-year wages he is currently on at the Santiago Bernabeu. Kroos has worked with Pep Guardiola before, having played under him during his final season at Bayern Munich prior to his switch to Real Madrid.
Fresh off the back of losing an early-season title test against Arsenal at the Emirates, the Cityzens have now lost three in a row across all domestic competitions. Currently lacking in creativity, the need for vision between the lines, and the quest for midfield dominance in the absence of Rodri and Kevin De Bruyne.
Kroos’s remarkable ability to dictate the tempo of a game, deliver precise passes, and orchestrate the flow of play has earned him revered status in the world of football, which makes him an ideal fallback option for Guardiola.