Germany World Cup winner Kroos to join Real Madrid

Germany midfielder Toni Kroos has signed a six-year deal to join Real Madrid from Bayern Munich, the Bundesliga club confirmed on Thursday. The 24-year-old was instrumental in Germany's World Cup-winning campaign that culminated in a 1-0 final victory over Argentina on Sunday and moves to the Bernabeu for a fee believed to be in the region of 25 million euros ($33.82 million). Kroos is Real's first signing ahead of the new season and he could well take over set-piece duties from Xabi Alonso. His arrival could also lead to the departure of Germany team mate Sami Khedira, who has been linked with a move to England. "We are grateful to Toni Kroos for his time in Munich," Bayern chairman Karl-Heinz Rummenigge told the club website (www.fcbayern.de). "Together we had great achievements here and we wish he and his family all the best in Madrid with Real." Kroos joined the Bayern youth setup in 2006 and was a key member of the back-to-back domestic double winning sides of the past two seasons following a short loan spell at Bayer Leverkusen. The 24-year-old playmaker moves to the European champions on the back of an outstanding World Cup. He scored two goals in as many minutes in the 7-1 semi-final rout of Brazil, en route to overcoming Argentina 1-0 in Sunday's final. Real hailed their latest catch as "one of the most important players of the moment". In the statement confirming his arrival the club described him as "a playmaker capable of finding the best option in any situation, with a vision of the game enabling him to help his teammates, as well as an impressive kick." Kroos, whose contract with Bayern expired next season, sided with Real over alternative touted moves to the likes of Manchester United or Chelsea. He arrives at the Santiago Bernabeu with 11 trophies already on his cv, Sunday's World Cup the jewel in a collection including the 2013 Champions League, Bundesliga titles and the Club World Cup. He joined Bayern as a teenager in 2007, making his first team appearance at the age of 17. He became a regular after an 18-month loan spell at Bundesliga rivals Bayern Leverkusen. This is the second high profile World Cup player to move to La Liga this month, following Luis Suarez's reported EUR95 million ($128 million) transfer from Manchester City to Real's arch rivals Barcelona. The path from the World Cup to Spain could also see Monaco's Colombia hotshot James Rodriguez join Kroos at Real. The World Cup's top scorer with six goals told Spanish sports daily Marca on Monday: "I'd jump at the chance of going to Real Madrid."