Why Toni Kroos rejected Real Madrid contract renewal

• Toni Kroos has put some of Europe’s biggest clubs on red alert with reports in Spain suggesting he wants to leave Real Madrid.
• The 32-year-old is entering the final year of his deal with Real but has told the club he prefers to wait before committing to an extension.
• Kroos is understood to be aware of the competition for starting places in Madrid.

Real Madrid have been hit by the news that Toni Kroos does not want to renew his contract with the club.

Following Real Madrid’s midfield addition things look thick for Los Blancos who in the event Kroos pushes for an exit, would mark a rather dramatic U-turn having expressed his desire to retire as a Madrid player as recently as two years ago.

The 32-year-old is entering the final year of his deal with Real but has told the club he prefers to wait before committing to an extension as he does not want to be a financial burden to them.

Kroos is understood to be aware of the competition for starting places in Madrid and the German would prefer to decide once he is sure of his level of performance to avoid ending up on the bench.

Real Madrid does not want their star midfielder to leave however the veteran is considering his options as he values first-team football over money.

Toni Kroos has rejected to put pen to paper on contract renewal; Photo/Football Espana

The German international remains an integral part of the furniture at the Bernabeu and made 44 appearances last season, displaying great performance even in a Champions League final win against Liverpool.

Is this end of the Toni Kroos era in Madrid?

Kroos has been an integral part of Real Madrid’s success since joining from Bayern Munich in 2014, winning 16 titles and appearing in more than 300 games across all competitions.

He, along with Casemiro and Luka Modric, have been the heartbeat of Real Madrid’s midfield for nearly a decade but with all three players into their 30s, the transition to new dawn could end up coming sooner rather than later.

Real already see Federico Valverde, 23, and Eduardo Camavinga, 19, as the future, while the club has also brought in Aurelien Tchouameni this summer for €100 million from Monaco.

Real Madrid’s midfield heartbeat pictured, Luka Modric(L), Casemiro(C), and Toni Kroos; Photo/Managing Madrid

While Casemiro, Kroos, and Modric are still performing to an elite level, emphasized by Real’s Champions League dominance in recent years, all three may end up being phased out of the first team shortly.

Kroos has no qualms with the club making plans for the future but the World Cup winner does not want to rush into a decision without knowing the full picture.

The former Bayern man has not expressed any desire to leave the club this summer, nor is the club considering selling him, but he will have no shortage of suitors should they choose to cash in or if he departs on a free next year.