Real Madrid renewals: What we’re hearing about Kroos, Modric, Joselu and others

Joselu was the comeback hero as Real Madrid reached the Champions League final last week.

But the Espanyol loanee is one of several players whose future at the club is uncertain. Four Madrid veterans — Luka Modric, Toni Kroos, Nacho and Lucas Vazquez — have contracts that expire on June 30, while goalkeeper Kepa Arrizabalaga’s loan move from Chelsea also ends next month.

Madrid’s La Liga success means Modric and Nacho have lifted 25 titles with the team, tied with Karim Benzema and Marcelo as the players with the most in Madrid’s history. They could go clear of that tally against Borussia Dortmund at Wembley on June 1.

“It is difficult to know what will happen to each one,” right-back Dani Carvajal said before the semi-final second leg against Bayern Munich. “I think that tomorrow — hopefully not — but it will be the turn of some of my team-mates to experience their last Champions League game at the Bernabeu.”

While talks over all these contract situations have intensified since March and April, the board wanted to wait until after the semi-final against Bayern to make decisions and plan announcements about players’ futures. This is what we’re hearing.

Luka Modric (38 years old, 531 appearances, 25 trophies)

Modric has previously said his priority is to stay at the Bernabeu, something he directly told Madrid president Florentino Perez last year when he found himself in the same situation.

But this season, the picture looks far less clear, and both club and player appear to be dealing with the topic of his future far more tentatively. It seems no such face-to-face meeting has taken place this year.

“There is nothing clear about Modric’s future with Real Madrid,” said Modric’s agent Vlado Lemic last weekend, after several reports stated he would leave. “Next week things will be clearer.”

Modric continues to break records with Madrid, most recently becoming the oldest player to feature in a La Liga match for the club, a few months before his 39th birthday.

The 2018 Ballon d’Or winner has provided two goals and eight assists in the 2,140 minutes (13th-most in the squad) he has played this season. Head coach Carlo Ancelotti is delighted with his performance — but the Croatian wants more. He feels he has more to contribute at the highest level and, at times, has been disappointed with his reduced role.

In February, The Athletic reported that Ancelotti had offered Modric a role on his coaching staff if he decided to retire. But the player’s idea then was to keep playing.

If he does leave the Spanish capital, he will not be short of offers — teams from Major League Soccer and Saudi Arabia have been circling for some time, while other European sides have also shown interest.

Toni Kroos (34 years old, 462 appearances, 21 trophies)

As The Athletic has reported, Kroos has long received assurances from Perez and chief executive Jose Angel Sanchez that he can renew whenever he wants. 

The German midfielder wanted to postpone his decision until later in the season to see how he felt physically and mentally — and in both aspects, he could not be in a better place. He has enjoyed a fine season as Madrid’s sixth-most used player, with a goal and eight assists in 2,935 minutes — including that pass to Vinicius Junior at Bayern in the semi-final first leg. 

Orchestrator 🧠#UCL pic.twitter.com/4bSYNEWrev

— UEFA Champions League (@ChampionsLeague) May 3, 2024

After the game at the Allianz Arena, Kroos told reporters he had not decided his future — but he has now made up his mind. Sources briefed on the situation — who, like all those cited here, wanted to speak anonymously to protect relationships — said that his decision would be communicated soon. Voices in the dressing room have been expecting him to stay, but club sources have not wanted to comment. 

Kroos will open a Madrid branch of his academy next season, which has been interpreted as a sign that he will stay. It will be located in the nearby town of Boadilla del Monte and will be open to boys and girls from four to 15 years old, with Kroos making an appearance at summer and winter camps.

Kroos will also play for Germany at their home European Championship this summer after coming out of international retirement in February.

Joselu (34 years old, on loan from Espanyol, 47 appearances, one trophy)

Madrid agreed a loan deal with an option to buy for Joselu even before Karim Benzema’s departure for Saudi Pro League side Al Ittihad last June. It is looking like inspired business after the Spaniard’s remarkable cameo against Bayern.

When Benzema, second in the club’s all-time top goalscorer charts, did leave, Ancelotti asked for Harry Kane, but Madrid did not make a concrete move. The Italian had to look for different solutions — Joseulu has been reliable when called upon, with the 14th-most minutes of any Madrid player (2,000), 16 goals and three assists.

The club and Ancelotti know they could be top-heavy next season with the expected signing of Kylian Mbappe from Paris Saint-Germain and the arrival of Brazilian teenager Endrick from Palmeiras. The €1.5million ($1.6m; £1.3m) fee for Joselu would not be a problem, nor would his attitude — Joselu has regularly said he is living the dream. He also offers a different profile for Madrid up front.

All this, coupled with his unforgettable game in the Champions League semi-finals, makes his renewal more viable. For now, there has been no sign of a decision either way.

Nacho (34 years old, 359 appearances, 25 titles)

Barring any surprises, these final weeks of the season will be Nacho’s last as a Real Madrid player. The club captain joined the academy in 2001, has been part of the first team since 2012 and is one of the four most decorated players in the club’s history.

In recent years, the centre-back has renewed his deal on an annual basis. Even while he had doubts about his position at the club, he always opted to extend. This season, he took on more importance after anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injuries suffered by centre-backs Eder Militao and David Alaba.

Nonetheless, the Spaniard has been more subdued in the dressing room. His relationship with Ancelotti is not the best, even if manager and player have shown respect and affection towards each other.

Nacho holds the Spanish league trophy on Sunday (Burak Akbulut/Anadolu via Getty Images)

Sources at Real’s Valdebebas HQ told The Athletic that Nacho informed the board and Ancelotti of his intention not to renew in March, even though, in public, he said he could do so whenever he wanted.

They said the conversation was full of gratitude from both sides, and that Nacho said he was thinking of living a new experience, preferably outside Europe. Teams from MLS were interested in him a year ago, but he has also asked for details about life in Saudi Arabia.

Madrid sources have preferred not to comment on the subject, and neither have sources close to Nacho.

Nacho has another objective this summer: to play at Euro 2024 with Spain. He won the UEFA Nations League title in 2023 with Luis de la Fuente’s team and both he and Madrid think he has done everything possible to warrant a place in the squad.

Kepa Arrizabalaga (29 years old, on loan from Chelsea, 19 appearances)

Everyone at Valdebebas speaks highly of Arrizabalaga, even if this season has been far from easy for him.

The Chelsea ‘keeper was about to get on a plane to Munich to join Bayern on loan last August when Thibaut Courtois’ ACL injury prompted Madrid to call him.

Arrizabalaga arrived on loan without an option to buy from Chelsea with the idea of being No 1 in the Belgian’s absence — but he suffered a muscular injury in November that opened the door to Andriy Lunin. Since mid-January, the Ukrainian has been undisputed first-choice.

It became clear that the Spaniard would not be staying this summer, even if he expressed his desire to do so at his presentation last year. The chances were always low, as the club did not want to invest in that position and Chelsea would want a fee.

Club, coaching staff and dressing-room sources have all praised Arrizabalaga’s friendliness and kind personality, along with his commitment to helping his team-mates. There was a key example of that when he gave Lunin pointers for the penalty shootout against Manchester City.

However, he will be leaving at the end of the season.

Lucas Vazquez (32 years old, 346 appearances, 17 trophies)

Like Nacho, Vazquez has tended to renew his deal on a year-by-year basis. The versatile right-back has shown his worth to the team each time discussions have come around.

For months, Madrid’s idea has been for the same thing to happen this season, even though the approach led to some differences of opinion in previous years.

Juventus almost took advantage, offering Vazquez a bigger salary and a contract over several years, but Vazquez’s love of Madrid — the club and the city — have always convinced him to stay. He knows he is an understudy for Carvajal but also believes he will be counted on in crucial stages of the season.

He has played 1,674 minutes in 35 games this term, scoring two goals — including one in last month’s Clasico — and providing six assists. Ancelotti and his staff are delighted with his performances and his attitude.

“He is impressive,” a staff member told The Athletic this week. “He always competes, he trains like crazy. He’s always in a good mood, he gets along with everyone. And he knows how to get serious when he has to.”

Vazquez is also aiming for a spot in Spain’s squad this summer. He made the last of his nine appearances for La Roja at the 2018 World Cup and dreams of representing his country at a tournament again.

(Top photo: Getty Images)