Transfer Rumors: German World Cup Champion Approached By Manchester City

Manchester City has reportedly approached Real Madrid’s Toni Kroos for a transfer in the summer of 2023 when his contract runs out.

According to Spanish outlet El Nacional, Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola has personally asked Kroos to make the move to Manchester City. K

roos will reportedly be sending his decision to Guardiola after January 1.

The International Business Times could not independently verify the information presented by El Nacional.

Kroos’ current contract will see him suit up for Real Madrid until the summer of 2023.

However, the 2014 World Cup winning midfielder from Germany has been limited to just 163 minutes across three appearances this season as he revealed in August that he had been suffering from pubis bone irritation.

Kroos later said in an exclusive with Goal in September that he had been playing through pain during the 2020 Euros and in the UEFA Champions League, relying heavily on medication and sheer will to make his international appearances.

After Germany crashed and burned at the hands of England in the 2020 Euros, Kroos retired from international competition as he focuses on the tail-end of his playing career and getting back to tip-top shape.

With Federico Valverde and recent addition Eduardo Camavinga getting heavy minutes from Carlo Ancelotti, Kroos’ playing time has surely taken a hit.

The Real Madrid manager is known for his love of developing and investing on young players, and both Valverde and Camavinga have been meshing particularly well with the 29-year-old Brazilian Casemiro.

Should the rumors of a Kroos transfer be true though, the English Premier League will have a major headache on their hands as he would slot in perfectly with Manchester City’s possession-heavy tactics.

As it stands, Manchester City have three midfielders whose contracts are set to expire in 2023 – Riyad Mahrez, Ilkay Gundogan and Raheem Sterling, the latter of which has been angling for a departure in January.

Other than being a perfect fit in their system, joining Manchester City makes financial sense for the aging midfielder.

Manchester City is a club well-known for paying top-tier talents based on their accomplishments and fit with the club, so it is not unreasonable to believe that Kroos’ last big payday will be with the Citizens.

At 33 years old by 2023, Kroos would play a major role in mentoring Manchester City’s youngsters and would come in during matches to right the ship whenever they need him to.