Bayer 04 Leverkusen midfielder Christoph Kramer will see out his two-year loan spell at Borussia Mönchengladbach before returning to the BayArena, according to the club’s sporting director Rudi Völler.
Kramer was part of Germany’s 23-man World Cup squad and started the final in place of Sami Khedira after the Real Madrid man picked up a calf injury in the warm-up at the Maracanã.
The Germany international, 23, took a nasty blow to the head and was forced to exit the match, but not before attempting to continue. He was replaced by André Schürrle, the man who set up Mario Götze’s 113th-minute match-winner.
Völler has insisted the club intend to honour their two-year loan agreement with Glabach despite reports linking Kramer with a move to Italian Serie A side S.S.C. Napoli.
“He will remain another season a Borussia Monchengladbach and then he will come back to us,” Voller confirmed to Rheinische Post.
“Napoli? I’ve read what has been written in Italy and talk of contact with Napoli is just rumours.
“It’s quite normal that a few clubs have contacted us considering the good World Cup he played, but he’s a part of our plan for next years.”
Toni Kroos ‘wanted a change’
Former FC Bayern Munich midfield maestro Toni Kroos has revealed he ‘wanted a change’ after agreeing to join European champions Real Madrid for around £20 million.
The Germany star, 24, had been attracting interest from several top European clubs, including the likes of Chelsea and Manchester United, before choosing to team up with BBC (Bale, Benzema and Cristiano) in the Spanish capital.
“I wanted a change,” Kroos told the DFB’s official website.
“The first time I gave it any thought was when contract talks with Bayern hit the buffers. Bayern were always my first contact and that is why I had always ruled out making contact with any other clubs.
“When we were unable to reach an agreement and several interested clubs, including all of the biggest clubs in the world, approached me, I decided to try out something new.
“Winning the World Cup then tipped the scales.”
Kroos, who bagged two goals and three assists at the World Cup this summer, added: “I have played in one of the best clubs in the world, and was a regular under many different coaches in recent years and I was always able to feature, despite the fierce competition.
“I was always taken excellent care of at Bayern too. Pep Guardiola and director of sport Matthias Sammer were always important people whom I could talk to and they showed their faith in me.
“And the fans always supported me too, and I thanked them on my homepage immediately after my transfer.
“My aim was to experience something new.”
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