Bayern starlet Toni Kroos leaves Munich

Bayern starlet Toni Kroos is leaving Munich on an eighteen-month loan switch to Bundesliga rivals Bayer Leverkusen. The 19-year-old, the youngest-ever player to appear for Bayern in the German top flight, will be officially placed on the transfer list on Monday before inking a loan move to the Rhineland outfit until 30 June 2010.

The midfielder, named Player of the Tournament at the U-17 World Cup 2007, would be eligible to appear for Bayer as soon as next weekend. However, Kroos is still struggling to shake off ankle ligament damage sustained during the winter break, an injury which caused him to miss the entire mid-season training period.

Kroos has made just seven Bundesliga appearances for Bayern so far this term, two of them in the starting line-up. In Leverkusen, where Kroos will be coached by former Bayern star Bruno Labbadia, the youngster will aim for more regular first team appearances and match practice. Kroos’ contract with Bayern runs until 30 June 2011.