Toni Kroos slams Saudi Arabia transfers after Gabri Veiga comment
- Kroos rejected an approach from Saudi Arabia earlier this summer
- Real Madrid midfielder slammed Gabri Veiga's move to Al Ahli
- Kroos believes players should be honest about moving to the Middle East for money
By Tom Gott
Real Madrid midfielder Toni Kroos has voiced his frustrations towards players opting to leave Europe for Saudi Arabia this summer.
Kroos, who rejected his own switch to the Middle East earlier this year, sparked controversy with a comment on 21-year-old Spain youth international Gabri Veiga's transfer from Celta Vigo to Al Ahli.
Veiga had interest from across Europe and was even understood to be closing in on a switch to Napoli before surprisingly accepting an offer from Al Ahli, with Kroos publicly branding the move "embarrassing".
While he insisted that country's concerning human rights record is reason enough for him to reject the idea of moving to Saudi Arabia, Kroos told Sports Illustrated that the level of football on offer in the Middle East should be more of a problem for those players who have made the switch.
"Everyone has to make this decision for themselves, such as Cristiano Ronaldo, who decided to do so towards the end of his career," Kroos began. "But it becomes very difficult when players who are in the middle of their careers and have the quality to play for top clubs in Europe decide to make such changes.
"And then it is said that they play ambitious football there - and it's all about the money. In the end it's a decision for the money – and against football. And from there it starts to get difficult for the football we all know and love."
READ MORE ON THE UNBELIEVABLE WAGES ON OFFER IN SAUDI ARABIA
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Kroos is entering his tenth season at Real Madrid and the 33-year-old admitted he does not take such a milestone lightly.
"That is a special number for me - especially since I haven't been playing just anywhere for nine years, but for a very special club," he said. "At Real you have to constantly meet the highest standards and always deliver. If you play bad there for two years, it's difficult to have a long career there. Ten years of Real Madrid: that sounds good.
"[My family] all feel very, very comfortable in this country. Then the weather is an issue to which we have become accustomed. Life in general in Madrid is nice, we have arranged everything so that it suits us well.
"So a few factors have shifted over the years - and with every year that we were here, we became more and more able to imagine staying. So that's the plan: that we'll stay in Madrid after my career ends - regardless of when that will be."
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