🔥🏟️Toni Kroos admits he agreed move to Premier League club but a deal collapsed after they sacked their manager right in front of him

Chris Byfield

Chris Byfield

Toni Kroos admitted he agreed a move to a Premier League club, only for the deal to collapse when they sacked their manager.

Kroos, who retired from football this summer, admitted that he had reached an agreement with then Manchester United manager David Moyes to join the Old Trafford club from Bayern Munich back in 2014.

However, as negotiations were advancing Moyes was sacked by United and replaced with Louis van Gaal.

The new regime at United decided against pursuing a move for Kroos, with the midfielder subsequently signing for Real Madrid.

In an interview with SPORT1, Kroos said: “In 2014, before I signed with Real Madrid, I had already agreed with Manchester United.

“That would have been a move from Bayern to United. But then they kicked out David Moyes, who I was still sitting on my couch with in Munich and hired Louis van Gaal. Then we both declined with thanks.”

As talks with United fell apart, Real swooped in, with Kroos enticed by the allure of the Santiago Bernabeu combined with the leadership of Carlo Ancelotti.

“The World Cup started, and Ancelotti got in touch – that was it,” Kroos explained.

Kroos had previously spoken of his failed move to United with the Athletic back in 2020. He then explained: “Moyes came to me specifically and the contract was basically agreed. But then Moyes was sacked and Louis van Gaal took over.

Kroos won five Champions Leagues at Real Madrid (Getty)

Kroos won five Champions Leagues at Real Madrid (Getty)

“That complicated the matter. He wanted time to form his own project. I didn’t hear anything from United for quite a while and I started to have doubts.”

While in the Spanish capital, Kroos won some five Champions League titles, five Club World Cups, four UEFA Super Cups, four La Liga titles, one Copa del Rey and four Spanish Super Cups.

Indeed, his role in midfield alongside Luka Modric and Casemiro was instrumental to the club’s success for almost a decade.

Kroos ultimately retired from professional football this summer upon Germany’s Euro 2024 elimination. Real have replaced the veteran midfielder with the likes of Federico Valverde, Eduardo Camavinga, Jude Bellingham and Aurelien Tchouameni.