Real Madrid dey hold concrete talks with former star Toni Kroos about im potential return to the club, but e no go come back as player. According to The Athletic, Kroos retire after 2024 European Championship, and im don stress say im decision na final. Since the 36-year-old hang im boots, Los Blancos don go trophyless under Carlo Ancelotti for 2024/25 season, and same fate dey threaten for current season, despite efforts of coaches Xabi Alonso and Álvaro Arbeloa.
Kroos retire at age 34 for 2024. Real Madrid dey talk with Toni Kroos over plan to bring back the retired midfielder for new role with key responsibilities. Kroos, wey be 36, decide to retire from football after playing for Germany for the home 2024 European Championship, even though Madrid dey keen for am to renew im contract. Since im leave professional game, im focus don be on the Toni Kroos Academy, wey open for Madrid for September 2024.
Sources with knowledge of the talks, wey ask to speak anonymously as dem no get permission to comment, say one of the ideas Madrid dey study na for Kroos to join their sporting structure. This go mean a route back into the club wey be like wetin Zinedine Zidane follow, wey first take up advisory role for November 2010 and later turn to coaching. Although the exact nature of Kroos possible role still unclear, sources say Madrid see am as valuable asset when e come to decisions on squad planning, representing the club and providing day-to-day support for the training ground.
If Kroos return, e go work closely with the club major decision makers, including president Florentino Perez, general manager Jose Angel Sanchez and chief scout Juni Calafat. Madrid don dey open to discuss possible return for Kroos for some time and the relationship between club and former player very good. Sources say im judgement and character dey held in high regard, as well as im experience of the dynamics of such a demanding dressing room.
Kroos win 23 trophies during im 10 years for the Bernabeu after im sign from Bayern Munich for 2014, including five Champions Leagues and four La Liga titles. Over im 17-year playing career, e also win the World Cup with Germany for 2014, making 114 appearances for im country. Kroos returning to Madrid go be surprising, yet logical. Surprising, because not quite two years don pass since im retirement. Despite having the offer to extend at Madrid, and with am arguably still dey for peak of im career, im decide say im want spend more time with im family.
When Kroos retire, im don just win Champions League and La Liga double. Everyone agree say im still get plenty football left inside am. Since then, im don enjoy more time with im wife and children, while also working on personal projects, including a popular podcast wey im run with im brother Felix, and the Toni Kroos Academy. Those wey familiar with the academy project say Kroos don really throw imself inside am. When people close to am ask if im go like to one day become coach, im response na say im already be one.
After a long playing career, Kroos don tire of so much travelling and having so few days at home. Those close to am say dem no fit see am returning to elite football soon. However, there now dey a real chance say this go change. A move to Madrid go be logical, because of im status for the club, im affection for am, and because of the team disappointing past two seasons since im exit. Im return go be welcome boost.
Im role no don decide yet, but as somebody with in-depth knowledge of the club suggest to The Athletic, the idea of am following similar path to that of Zidane go be safe bet. Kroos fit start for similar advisory role, while also representing the club for official events, as the Frenchman do. E fit also mean am working more closely with the squad, or gradually moving towards a coaching role, if the urge take am.
Zidane first coaching role na as Carlo Ancelotti assistant, before e take charge of Real Madrid reserves for June 2014. After dem promote am to first team, e win three Champions League titles in a row between 2015-16 and 2017-18. That no go be bad formula to try and repeat.
Toni Kroos return dey move closer to becoming genuine reality. Im comeback to Real Madrid no get anything to do with the future occupant of the club bench. Na completely separate matter, dey move along different track from any negotiations wey fit take place with any coach. Weeks ago, Florentino Pérez decide the time don come to start shaping the return of one of the main symbols of the team wey dominate Europe, winning six Champions League titles for 10 years.
From that moment, Real Madrid begin work on the comeback of a player wey leave lasting mark over im decade for white. Kroos become reference point and example for Madrid fans and for many rivals, wey explain the club hierarchy interest for recovering a figure wey manage to unite everybody through im quality as footballer and im composure both on and off the field.
The first approaches don already take place, and for Valdebebas dem believe the possibility of bringing back the former midfielder fit become reality for the coming days. The 2014 World Cup winner with Germany don devote imself fully to the football academy wey im set up since e hang im boots. For fact, during the season dem don see am for several occasions for Madrid training complex with im different youth teams. E act as leader, coach and teacher, dey pass to the youngest players im way of understanding the game.
For recent days, there don be talk say Kroos arrival go link to Jürgen Klopp. Not so. The starting point for the desire to see the former Madrid player back for day-to-day life for Valdebebas predate the decision to make a coaching change. Im arrival dey aimed more for strengthening the group of former players wey work for the club. So much so that no decision don make for any point on wetin position Kroos go occupy or wetin im role go be for im increasingly likely return to Real Madrid.
E don suggest say e fit form potential duo with the former Liverpool coach if Klopp choose as manager for next season. The only certainty na say the desire, interest and momentum behind Kroos return to Madrid continue to move forward.
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