Transfers, transfers, transfers. It’s that period prior to new seasons where teams only discuss transfers; that period which either makes fans happy or totally gutted. Two infallible German giants, Toni Kroos and Sami Khedira, are set to flee from their team nests and mark their territory elsewhere. Funnily enough, both are linked to Real Madrid in some way, with one in, the other most probably out. But just what will become of this world class pair?
It has been confirmed that Toni Kroos is now to don the shirt of Read Madrid, despite his contract at Bayern Munich being up for renewal in 2015; hands shaken and the dotted line has been filled in. His 173 Bundesliga appearances encompass his sporting career thus far, with the lion’s share enjoyed at prestigious Bavarian side Bayern Munich. His prior 18-month spell at Bayer Leverkusen only enhanced his prowess and allowed him to grow effortlessly within the Bayern team upon return (BBC Sport, July 2014). Kroos has been a credit to the squad and a vital contributor in the German cup winning exclusivity that Bayern have held so well, for so long; these include 3 DFB Pokals and 3 Bundesliga trophies. Even before the World Cup, Kroos seemed keen to head further afield and sample how the game is crafted in Spain, so this transfer to Champions League bigwigs is likely to be precisely what the 24-year-old had been bargaining for.
Although I would prefer he retained his position at Bayern (for entirely selfish reasons, of course), I would place euros on his presence being a breath of fresh, crisp air and of integral value. He has gone from youngster seeking experience, to top substitute, to regular in the Bayern starting line-up, and the same trail seems to have occurred within his place on the German national team. Joachim Löw, as well as previous club managers, seems to have great faith in his skill and so do I.
On the other side of the coin, Real Madrid are obviously seeking to make a little space. Thinning out older players and finding room for new blood is something that a colossus such as Real would want to do. Unfortunately for La Liga, this could be the case for Sami Khedira, who is tipped to replicate the footsteps of fellow DFB teammate, Mesut Özil.
Echoes around Premier League dressing rooms claim that Khedira might be set to flounce over to London, with bids from Arsenal and Chelsea in the mix. Although both clubs are associated with firm rankings in England, Khedira might assimilate more easily at Arsenal, not least because he would join Özil, Lukas Podolski and Per Mertesacker. It has been noted that bringing new “mental strength” and the pride of a winner to Arsenal would be an excellent boost for the entire team (The Mirror, July 2014); Khedira was not only recently part of the World Cup victory for Germany, but Real Madrid were the ones to hoist the Champions League prize earlier this year. Khedira’s flair and able feet would be celebrated in a midfield role at Arsenal.
What might veto Khedira’s intentions to head to north London is the hefty £150,000 wage he demands; this might be felt a tad too steep for both Arsenal and Chelsea, despite ex-Real boss, José Mourinho, possessing first-hand knowledge of just how fantastic Khedira is. Regardless of his motives and the outcome, sources state that his number 6 jersey has been removed from the rails at the Bernabéu (The Independent, July 2014), though this could just have been an error.
Again, my feelings are misplaced about Khedira; as an English girl, I would rather he stayed in Spain, at a much more noteworthy, glamorous club, but only because it sounds so much more commendable on the old CV. However, I would be able to view him in action more often, and it would be a notch on the footballing bedpost for yet another German.
Thank you for reading. Please take a moment to follow me on Twitter – @lastwordimogen. Support LWOS by following us on Twitter – @LastWordOnSport and @LWOSworld – and “liking” our Facebook page.
Feel free to discuss this and other footy related articles with thousands of fans at /r/football.
For the latest injury news, check out our friends at Sports Injury Alert.
