Frank Christian
Toni Kroos marked the end of his remarkable career at Real Madrid with the last match of the 2023/24 season.
He declared his decision not to extend his contract for another year and announced plans to retire after UEFA Euro 2024, with his final appearance for the club being in the UEFA Champions League final.
Fans of Los Blancos celebrated joyfully as he was substituted during the final moments of their 2-0 victory against Borussia Dortmund at Wembley Stadium.
This final match served as a fitting tribute to Kroos’ impressive decade with the club, during which he secured four La Liga titles and five Champions League trophies.
While he is now a Real Madrid legend, Kroos has shared insights on a time he almost transferred to Manchester United instead of joining the team at Estadio Santiago Bernabeu.
Reasons Behind Toni Kroos’s Decision Against Manchester United
In 2014, Kroos faced a choice between two potential transfers when he decided to leave Bayern Munich before the start of the 2014/15 season.
Real Madrid showed interest in signing him, but Manchester United was even more aggressive in their pursuit, with David Moyes personally hoping to recruit him to Old Trafford.
After his exit from United, Moyes disclosed how nearing he was to signing various big names, including Gareth Bale, who would later be Kroos’ teammate in Madrid.
Kroos recounted a pivotal moment in his career, revealing that Moyes was dismissed while he was still waiting to finalize the deal, which inhibited any chance of him moving to Manchester.
“In 2014, before I signed with Real Madrid, I had already reached an agreement with Manchester United,” Kroos stated, as reported by Sport1.
Toni Kroos reveals he was close to signing with Man Utd in 2014 but their hiring of Louis van Gaal stunted his interest. pic.twitter.com/egjmHB4wVj
— CBS Sports Golazo (@CBSSportsGolazo) September 26, 2024
“That would have been a transition from Bayern to United. However, when they parted ways with David Moyes, who I was discussing matters with while still in Munich, and opted for Louis van Gaal, we both agreed it wasn’t the right fit.”
Kroos indicated that he wasn’t keen on the idea of working with van Gaal again, having experienced a season with him at Bayern in 2010/11, as the Dutch coach aimed to establish his own vision for United.
Communication with United dwindled thereafter, and after the World Cup, Carlo Ancelotti’s call influenced him to consider Madrid, leading to what many United fans see as a lost opportunity.
