Kroos hopeful of teaming up with Mbappe: The best players have to be at Real Madrid

Toni Kroos is hopeful Real Madrid will finally land Kylian Mbappe next year after a failed attempt to sign the Paris Saint-Germain in the most recent transfer window.

Madrid are reported to have had three bids turned down for the France international in July and August, the last one said to be worth up to €200million.

However, Mbappe is due to become a free agent at the end of the season and can therefore secure a pre-contract agreement with Madrid – or any other foreign club – from the start of January.

Kroos has previously talked up the prospect of his side bringing in Mbappe and remains eager to link up with the 22-year-old in 2022.

“In the summer, I already said that I would like a player like him to come, but if he doesn’t, we have a good team,” he told Goal.

“Let’s see what happens in the future. It is difficult for me to say, because I am not the one who decides. 

“His quality has not changed – he is a good player and what we know is that Madrid wanted to sign him but in the end they didn’t succeed. Everything continues, also without Mbappe here.

“I think we are doing well and for the future my opinion has not changed: the best players have to be at Madrid, and he is sure to be one of them.”

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— Toni Kroos (@ToniKroos) September 28, 2021

Mbappe has four goals and five assists in 10 games this term – only international team-mates Karim Benzema and Paul Pogba (both seven) have set up more goals in all competitions among players from Europe’s top five leagues.

The PSG star has gone five matches without finding the net himself, however, after failing to add a goal to his assist for Lionel Messi in Tuesday’s 2-0 Champions League win over Manchester City.

While PSG were claiming a deserved victory over fellow heavyweights City, Madrid slumped to one of the biggest shocks in the competition’s history as they fell 2-1 to Sheriff.

That was just Los Blancos’ second defeat in 32 group-stage games at the Santiago Bernabeu, having previously lost to CSKA Moscow in December 2018.

Madrid have otherwise made a positive start to Carlo Ancelotti’s second spell in charge, and Kroos, who made his first appearance of the season as a second-half substitute against Sheriff, believes the Italian’s methods have changed over time, having been signed during his previous stint.

“Yes, there is a difference, but our relationship still remains very good,” he said. 

“I had a good relationship with him in 2014. I haven’t played many games so far [this season], so I can’t say exactly what has changed because I haven’t had many talks with him.”