May 21, 2024 is, and always will be, the day that Toni Kroos said auf wiedersehen. An earthquake that has caught many off guard. Because Toni is like that. “Very German,” as Ancelotti would say. A footballer who has left an indelible mark on football. And he leaves an important gap, a lot, in Madrid’s engine room. The millimetrically studied movements in past markets have already placed the main blocks of the transition. Camavinga, Tchouameni, Bellingham, a Güler who could be relocated… Signings with a clear tendency towards more physical, back-and-forth football. Kroos and Modric are, or were, the counterpoint. But Toni says goodbye and, although the most important thing is not to look at the market, since it is internally understood that “the work is already done”, at the white club the horizon is always scanned. And there are two names: Joshua Kimmich and Rodrigo Hernández.
Kimmich, at 29 years old, is on the brink of his last big contract in the world of football. On June 30, 2025, his relationship with Bayern ends. 13 months from the end point, there is no doodle… his future is in the air. We are talking about a footballer who has been in the white orbit for a long time and also appears on Barça’s roadmap. Something that is no stranger to Joshua. He is aware. “At the moment I’m not thinking about this. I will talk to Bayern first. But, of course, Barcelona and Real Madrid are incredible clubs with an amazing history,” he reasoned in an exclusive interview with AS on the eve of the Champions League semi-final against the whites. Without closing doors. That conversation with the Bavarian giant has not yet taken place and from Germany it is stated that the footballer is open to a change of scenery. The idea is to sit down and talk before the Euro Cup. There, Kimmich in person, since he does not have an agent, and Bayern will put their cards face up. If they do not row in the same direction, the club will place the player on the exit ramp. Losing a year’s worth of free money is not an option.
“At the moment I’m not thinking about this. As I already said, I will speak to Bayern first. But, of course, Barcelona and Real Madrid are incredible clubs with an amazing history.”
Joshua Kimmich, an AS
While another option that Madrid likes, logically, is Rodrigo Hernández. The captain of the National Team is untouchable at City and has concluded another season with sensational numbers. He was fifth in the last Ballon d’Or and scored the decisive goal in the final of the last Champions League. He is one of Guardiola’s heavyweights and it would be difficult to remove him, since the club has him, Haaland and Foden as the main arguments for the project. He would have to negotiate with City (his contract ends in 2027, so next summer would be the ideal time to find a reduction) and his salary would have to be reduced. In any case, at 27 years old he is in the ideal spot to replace Kroos with immediate performance. Furthermore, he is Spanish and from Madrid. For many, he is the best midfielder in the world and Madrid does not ignore that.
Rodrigo tries to surpass Brahim in the current Champions League. JESUS ALVAREZ ORIHUELADiarioASThe Kroos route
If acquiring Rodrigo would not be a simple operation, neither would stepping on the accelerator for Kimmich. Despite the contractual situation, Munich is aiming for 60-70 million euros to start talking. Amounts that would not be reached from the White House. A similar case to Alphonso Davies, who continues to be the favorite option for the left back, or to Toni Kroos himself. The one from Greifswald landed in 2014 in exchange for 25 million euros, after refusing to renew under the terms that Bayern intended. A situation that would be sought to be replicated in Chamartín if necessary. Ditto with Davies.
Kimmich and Kroos, in the second leg of the Champions semi-finals.MariscalEFE
In terms of football, Kimmich has similar traits to Kroos. Like his wonderful ball movement and undeniable tactical intelligence. He also has experience at the first level (20 titles with Bayern, including the 2020 Champions League) superior to other profiles, such as Vitinha. Also different, since Joshua is a player with greater defensive conditions. Without going any further, he has played 127 games as a right back, the Champions League semi-final against Madrid among them. Finding a new Kroos is unfeasible, but Kimmich is the most attractive option and Rodrigo is a dream. Of course, in the white team there is no urgency.
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2024-05-22 10:40:39
#Kimmich #window #Rodrigo #dream
