Real Madrid will be delighted that midfield duo Toni Kroos and Luka Modrić have finally cleared speculations of them leaving the club and penned new contracts with the Spanish La Liga giant. These new contract extensions, which will keep both players in Santiago Bernabéu until the summer of 2024, came just weeks after England’s teenage sensation Jude Bellingham completed his €103-million move to Real Madrid from Borussia Dortmund, meaning 64-year-old head coach Carlo Ancelotti will be spoiled with incredible depth in his midfield options next season.
12-Month New Contracts for Both Kroos and Modrić
Before both players agreed to a new contract extension with the club, it was reported that 33-year-old former German international Kroos and Croatia national team captain Modrić were leaving Los Blancos and joining other clubs in Europe or even the Saudi Pro League. Nonetheless, it is evident that Italian Ancelotti is a huge fan of both players’ capabilities and trust that their leadership skills and veteran presence in the locker room will empower the team to recapture major team accolades such as the Spanish La Liga and the UEFA Champions League, having settled for the second-best position in the league and bowed out from the cup competition in the semifinal stage respectively in the recent season.
The Story Thus Far for Kroos
The Greifswald-born midfield star departed from German Bundesliga 1 powerhouse Bayern Munich and signed for Real Madrid back in 2014. Since then, Toni Kroos made 417 appearances in all competitions for Los Blancos, scoring 27 goals as a result. These consistent and amazing performances made him an important squad member wearing the famous white jersey and allowed him to win 19 trophies in his 9-year stay with the club, including three successive UEFA Champions League titles in the 2015/2016, 2016/2017 and 2017/2018 Seasons. The ex-German international’s new contract will complete a decade of tenure with the Spanish outfit by next year, and he looks to transfer all of his midfield experience to his younger midfield peers in the club.
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The Story Thus Far for Modrić
The 37-year-old arrived in Spain from English Premier League side Tottenham Hotspur more than 10 years ago and registered a total of 488 caps for Real Madrid in 11 seasons. With 23 team honours earned during his time with the 35-time La Liga winner, Luka Modrić is among the ranks of Real Madrid players with the most trophies won, and a new contract means that he will have another season to catch up with former skipper and teammate Karim Benzema’s all-time record of 25 titles as a Galáctico.
In addition to his amazing tenure with Real Madrid, Luka Modrić had also captained his national side to exceptional results both in Europe and the world, which can be seen in the 2018 and 2022 FIFA World Cups in Russia and Qatar as well as a runner-up finish in the recent 2022/2023 UEFA Nations League. A Ballon d’Or win in 2018 goes on to show the illustrious career the evergreen Modrić had in the past decade or so, and he will definitely go all out and win more titles with this new contract extension signed.
Real Madrid’s Official Statements on Kroos’ and Modrić’s New Contracts
The 33-year-old Kroos was the first among the duo to pen a new contract with Los Blancos, which formally took place about a week ago while Modrić’s new contract extension happened earlier this week. “Real Madrid C. F. and Toni Kroos have agreed to extend the player’s contract, which will see him contracted to the club until 30 June 2024” and “Real Madrid C. F. and Luka Modrić have agreed to extend the player’s contract, which sees him contracted to the club until 30 June 2024” were the club’s official releases regarding the midfield maestros’ new contract extensions.
How Does Real Madrid’s Midfield Line-Up Look Like Next Season?
With Kroos’ and Modrić’s new contracts done and dusted, Carlo Ancelotti will be more than pleased to have abundant of choices available for his Real Madrid midfield next season, having also been blessed with services from players such as Jude Bellingham, Eduardo Camavinga, Aurélien Tchouaméni, Federico Valverde and Dani Ceballos. Besides, the 14-time European champion is likely to push for more incoming new contracts up front this summer in order to fill the big shoes and staggering goal contributions left by 2022 Ballon d’Or winner and former club skipper Benzema.
How well do you think Real Madrid’s performance will be in the upcoming season? Let us know about your thoughts in the comment section below.
