Toni Kroos has officially retired from club football. He will now play the knockout stages with Germany at EURO 2024 before retiring from international football. In his final Real Madrid match, he left with a great memory, providing an assist and winning the Champions League final.
From Carlo Ancelotti's perspective, he is very aware that Toni Kroos cannot be replaced, at least not immediately. After all, he remains one of the best midfielders in the world, even in his final year as a player. That said, it won't stop Real Madrid from trying, if the right opportunity presents itself.
Real Madrid offered a reduced price for French Toni Kroos replacement
According to a report from Tuttosport (h/t SPORT), Real Madrid have been handed a golden opportunity to sign a Toni Kroos replacement from OGC Nice. Reportedly, Nice have offered Real Madrid a chance to sign Khephren Thuram for just €15m - €20m.
The reduced price is a result of Thuram entering the final year of his contract. OGC Nice are very aware of the possibility of losing Thuram for free, therefore, they wish to reduce that risk by offering him away for a reduced fee. It is smart business from Nice's perspective because they would still get a transfer fee while not strengthening a direct rival in Ligue 1.
It remains to be seen whether Real Madrid are interested in the proposition. After all, there are in-house options for Real Madrid to replace Toni Kroos. They do not necessarily need to sign an external option in the transfer window. On that note, experiments such as upgrading Dani Ceballos' squad role and even dropping Jude Bellingham into a deeper position have been toyed with.
However, as the old saying goes, some trains only pass by once. This is a golden opportunity to sign an established player for as little as €15m, a measly fee which presents minimal risk to Florentino Perez.
Do you think Real Madrid should sign Khephren Thuram?