Real Madrid midfielder Toni Kroos has reportedly emerged as a surprise transfer target for Manchester City.
Throughout last season, it was suggested that Kroos may consider hanging up his boots rather than extending his stay at the Santiago Bernabeu.
After spending nine years at the top of his game and having already retired from international football with Germany, such a decision would not have come as a surprise.
However, in June the 33-year-old opted to pen a 12-month extension to his terms with Los Blancos, taking him to a decade at the Spanish giants.
Kroos has since been used on a regular basis by Carlo Ancelotti during 2023-24, making a total of five starts and six substitute appearances in all competitions.
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Nevertheless, with Ancelotti expected to depart his role at the end of the season and Real already well stocked for central midfielders, it is unclear whether an 11th season at Real for Kroos is a possibility.
According to reports in Spain, Pep Guardiola is monitoring any developments with Kroos's future ahead of a potential move.
Mundo Deportivo claims that English media say that Guardiola has not forgotten about Kroos's qualities from their time together at Bayern Munich.
The pair only spent one season together at the Allianz Arena, with Kroos being used on 51 occasions during the 2013-14 campaign in question in what was his first season in Germany.
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Like Real, Man City are not short of options for the centre of the pitch, but they have faced a period of transition courtesy of the experienced Ilkay Gundogan leaving for Barcelona.
With Kalvin Phillips remaining out of favour and Mateo Kovacic and Matheus Nunes still to settle, the suggestion is that Guardiola is keen to add further experience to his ranks.
The report says that the European champions would be prepared to hand Kroos a contract of €15m (£13m) for him to delay any pending retirement and move to the Etihad Stadium.
Despite being short of his 34th birthday, which is in January, Kroos has already made 681 club appearances in his career, as well as earning 106 caps for Germany between 2010 and 2021.
Darren Plant
