Real Madrid News
Toni Kroos talks Ronaldo, Real Madrid, retirement – “The pieces fit together”
Despite retiring from professional football, Toni Kroos continues to express his views on various topics, from his personal career decisions to his reflections on Real Madrid.
Recently, during an interview with German tennis player Alexander Zverev, Kroos opened up about his reasons for stepping away from football and shared some insights into his time at Real Madrid.
Kroos, who ended his football career on a high note, explained that he always aimed to leave the sport while still playing at the top level.
Although there might come a time when he questions whether he retired too soon, for now, he remains content with his decision.
“I always wanted to finish at the highest level. Maybe in five years, I’ll say I retired too early, but right now I feel good,” said the former midfielder as quoted by AS.
He humorously noted that if he were a tennis player, he would have had more control over various aspects of his career, such as choosing his team and the people around him.
“If I were a tennis player, I wouldn’t have retired yet. You decide who’s on your team, who sits in the box and who sleeps in your bed the night before the match (laughs).”
Real Madrid and Cristiano Ronaldo
Reflecting on Real Madrid, Kroos praised the club’s strategy in handling transitions within the squad. He acknowledged how the club always had a plan in place when it was time to replace world-class players.
“Real Madrid have always done things very intelligently. Whenever we had to replace world-class players, a young player was already prepared. The pieces fit together,” he noted.
Kroos also spoke about his former teammate Cristiano Ronaldo, highlighting the Portuguese star’s remarkable work ethic and passion for scoring goals.
According to Kroos, Ronaldo’s drive to constantly improve and score became a positive addiction for him, and it was evident in his daily commitment to training and performance on the pitch.
“Cristiano was always there when I arrived at training and still there when I left. We all want to win titles and score goals, but for him, scoring goals was a positive addiction.”
When it comes to individual awards, Kroos expressed his belief that they are unnecessary in a team sport like football.
He emphasised that the success of any player is deeply connected to the team, and without the support of teammates, individual accomplishments would hold little value.
“Individual awards seem completely unnecessary to me. Football is a team sport. Without the team, the individual would be nothing,” he said.
Real Madrid News
Real Madrid weighing up January move for €70 million-rated Arsenal midfielder – report
Real Madrid’s midfield is the one department where Jose Mourinho sees clear scope for improvement, especially given that the club did not sanction his wish for a top midfield signing in the summer.
While Bernardo Silva has chipped in as a handy option to feature in the deep midfield, the club still lacks a controlling and creative option who can glue the team together.
In that sense, there is a clear lacuna that Real Madrid need to address and Defensa Central brings to light that the club have opened up to a potential target.
Zubimendi emerges as a target
Indeed, the player in question is Arsenal’s Martin Zubimendi who the club have seen as a target for a long time, and Real Madrid could even go on to sign him in January.
The Spanish international has not started off the new season well under Mikel Arteta and has primarily featured as a substitute. He does, thus, see a move to Madrid with good eyes in every sense.
Real Madrid, for their part, have not ruled out his signing as was reported in recent months and there is even a chance they seriously pursue him in the winter transfer window as a mid-season fix.
The possible fee
The Spanish outlet also add that Zubimendi’s move to Real Madrid could be completed for a fee similar to what Arsenal paid for the player for his transfer from Real Sociedad – €70 million.
Mourinho’s insistence on making a new midfield signing is no secret, and with a clear target now in mind, the board could well back him with the player he wishes.
Notably, however, even Chelsea are seriously interested in his signing.
So far, Federico Valverde has been Real Madrid’s mainstay in midfield, and Aurelien Tchouameni’s return will change the team’s dynamics in the department.
Neither player, however, offers the control and distribution skill set that the team direly lack.
A big part of whether or not the club pushes for Zubimendi, however, will depend on how the Valverde-Tchouameni combination plays out in the coming months. It is, after all, the manager’s first-choice combination for big games.
