Toni Kroos open to move from Bayern Munich to Premier League

Toni Kroos, the Bayern Munich midfielder coveted by Manchester United, has indicated an interest in playing in the Premier League but his head coach, Pep Guardiola, wants to keep him “for many seasons”.

Kroos’ contract expires at the end of the 2014-15 season and he wants a lucrative new deal at the Allianz Arena, bringing him on a par with the club’s big earners such as Franck Ribéry on a reported £170,000.

Bayern’s sporting director, Matthias Sammer, has spoken of the club’s determination that Kroos “will stay beyond the expiry of his current deal”.

Interest from United has inevitably strengthened Kroos’s bargaining position. The 24-year-old is doing little to quell speculation.

“It is no secret that the Premier League is a possibility for me,” Kroos said, ahead of Bayern’s Champions League game with Arsenal on Tuesday night.

“Yes, I have heard about these rumours. A lot has been written about it [in England] and the German media like to take over this story also.

"I am a person where a lot is possible for me. No decision has been made about this yet. No one has come to any agreement about this and that will stay like this until the summer.”

Asked by the former Middlesbrough striker Jan Aage Fjortoft, who now works for Norwegian TV, whether he would “consider a move to a team that’s not in the Champions League” (like United next season), Kroos replied: “I will consider everything – if I should leave.”

The smart euros remain on Kroos staying at the record-breaking German and European champions, particularly after Guardiola outlined to the player how he could develop further at Bayern.

“I said to him you have time to become an even better player,” Guardiola said. “I hope he maintains this level of form – and for the next few seasons at this club.

“Toni is a young player, a great talent. He has time to improve, to gain better his skills. I spoke with him and said you have time to become a better player.

"He was very important in my first year here, in the first part of the season when [Mario] Götze , [Javi] Martínez and Thiago [Alcantara] were injured, so we had few midfielders. Kroos with his huge personality, was very important.”

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Kroos: I never doubted my Bayern future

Bayern Munich midfielder Toni Kroos has said that he never had any doubts that he would make it at the Allianz Arena.

The Germany international was linked with a move away from the club in the summer following the arrivals of Mario Gotze and Thiago Alcantara.

However, he has been an integral part of Pep Guardiola's starting XI this term and was always certain he would keep his place in the team.

"Of course I noticed what was said and there were many people of this opinion," he told TZ.

"But I was always sure and I had some conversations with really important people. Ultimately, though, it depends on what I show on the pitch. And that's why I was relaxed."

Kroos and Gotze have often featured together this term and Kroos is delighted with the impact the former Borussia Dortmund man has made.

"Mario is a fantastic footballer. I told him when he joined that we would have a lot of fun together. And that he would be a success with me and with Bayern," he continued.

Bayern take on Raja Casablanca on Saturday in the Club World Cup final and Kroos says 2013 has been an incredible year from him, despite injury ruling him out of the run-in to the Bavarians' treble.

"It was very positive! We have won everything there was to be won as a team. For me personally, I always played up until the phase of injury," he said.

"I've always had my place in the starting XI. That's why I'm very satisfied."

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2 Bayern players to miss Hoffenheim clash

Bayern Munich boss Pep Guardiola has revealed that he is unlikely to risk either Toni Kroos or Arjen Robben in Saturday's Bundesliga meeting with Hoffenheim.

Both players picked up minor hamstring injuries in last weekend's 3-2 win over Hertha Berlin but did return to full training on Thursday.

However, Guardiola does not want to rush either man back into action, given Bayern have a Champions League game against Viktoria Plzen to come on Tuesday.

"Toni is a bit further along than Arjen," the former Barcelona boss told reporters on Friday. "They both trained yesterday.

"Perhaps they are not fit tomorrow, but next Tuesday or next Saturday they will be fit."

Guardiola also admitted that the trip to Hoffenheim has also probably come a tad too soon for defender Dante, who has been struggling with an ankle problem.

"He has trained well, although there are still little problems," the Catalan coach explained.

Bayern's meeting with Hoffenheim at the Rhein-Neckar-Arena is scheduled to get under way at 15:30CET.

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