This one’s been coming for a while, but we finally have solid confirmation that Sami Khedira’s five-year Real Madrid career is coming to an end.
The 27-year-old defensive midfielder has flourished at the Bernabeu, and even as recently as this weekend’s El Clasico it was evident how crucial Khedira is to Carlo Ancelotti’s system. Unfortunately, the club will have to move on without him after this season concludes.
“It’s not a decision against Real Madrid,” the German international told Kicker. “I want to find new challenges for my career and continue to grow as a player. I don’t have an agreement with any club nor any preferences as to who I would like to join.”
Madrid was unable to come to a contract resolution with Khedira, and they will be much worse off without him. Missing a good chunk of time this season and last due to injury, Khedira was unavailable for the match against Barcelona, forcing Toni Kroos back into the deep middle of the pitch. While his defensive numbers were solid, it was evident that Barcelona preferred to attack through the middle, and they were able to do so on a number of occasions.
There’s surely going to be a heavy bidding war for Khedira’s services this summer, with a number of outlets reporting that Schalke lead the race. However, the Bundesliga side currently sits outside a Champions League place, and should they fail to make up ground, it’s unlikely a player of Khedira’s level would make that switch. Still, it’s likely that Khedira will head back to his home country, while there will also likely be plenty of interest from the Premier League (Arsenal has long been linked with interest in Khedira).
So where will the German end up? It would seem all options are in play.
