Toni Kroos, the 24-year old German midfielder nearly crossed the channel from the Bundesliga in the summer, seemingly heading to Old Trafford or Stamford Bridge.
With Bayern Munich not able to agree extended terms with the 6-foot World Cup winner, Kroos had the world at his feet. He eventually opted for a move to the Bernabeu in a £20million deal, apparently citing that playing alongside Christian Ronaldo was too good an opportunity to turn down. Who could blame him to be fair?
‘I know what it means to play in a team with great individual quality,’ he told Die Welt. ‘We all respect each other, the spirit is amazing.
‘At the moment, there is no better player than Cristiano. He was one of those who looked out for me at first, he’s a really nice guy.
‘I was lucky to come from a club with great standards. In Munich, it’s more than stepping out on to the field to win – you start the season to win titles. So I didn’t have to adapt a lot.
‘I enjoy playing in Madrid. Although people may not believe me, it’s a family club. I feel that people trust me.
‘I was happy for the chance to do something new, I feel it was the right step. Madrid are a great club and were the challenge I sought after my long and successful Bayern career.
‘Madrid, Bayern, Barcelona and Chelsea are the four greats right now. So I just changed one for another.’
Kroos has won the World Cup, Champions League, Super Cup as well as being three-times winner of the Bundesliga with Bayern. The Premier League missed out when he became available. England’s loss is Spain’s gain.
Written by Michael Horne
Follow me on Twitter @MichaelHorne777
