Ancelotti: Kroos Read Madrid future in his own hands
James Shearman
- Updated: 13 Oct 2022 15:41 CDT
- 3 min read
Real Madrid head coach Carlo Ancelotti has claimed that it is entirely up to Toni Kroos whether he wants to stay beyond this season.
Kroos is into the final year of his contract at the Santiago Bernabeu and the indications have been that he would not renew it.
But the Germany international is in fine form for Los Blancos, where Ancelotti would be happy to have him for another season.
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Nevertheless, Los Blancos will be planning for the future without the 32-year-old, whether that is the case in 2023 or 2024.
And according to reports have drawn up a four-man shortlist of potential replacements for a true legend of the game.
Real Madrid's transfer shortlist
At the head of this list is Borussia Dortmund midfielder Jude Bellingham - the 19-year-old England international who carries a valuation of €78 million according to FootballTransfers' algorithm.
That said, he is likely to move for far more than that, as a bidding war could ensue between some of the most financially powerful clubs in the game. Manchester United, Chelsea and Liverpool are among the teams who want to sign him.
If Bellingham is considered to be a difficult target to pin down, Madrid are also monitoring Inter Milan’s Nicolo Barella, Bruno Guimaraes of Newcastle and Joao Gomes of Flamengo.
Of this trio, it is Gomes that Madrid see as the likeliest signing, although they could still face competition from Liverpool and Manchester United.
News #Kroos: Ancelotti confirms that Toni decides himself whether he will extend or not. Kroos will finish his career at #RealMadrid. Either 2023 or 2024. Talks about a possible new one-year-contract will follow soon. Relation between him and Real is great. @SkySportDE 🇩🇪
— Florian Plettenberg (@Plettigoal) October 12, 2022
Los Blancos, though, can show the young Brazilian the cases of Rodrygo and Vinicius Junior, who have both been integrated into their first team successfully after arriving from their homeland. Reinier, meanwhile, remains a player that Madrid have high hopes for.
Kroos may be on his way out of Real Madrid, but strong alternatives are there for one of the club’s greatest servants in recent times.
