Toni Kroos in talks to join Real Madrid

Bayern Munich CEO Karl-Heinz Rummenigge has confirmed talks between the Bundesliga champions and Real Madrid over a transfer of World Cup winner Toni Kroos.

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Kroos, 24, is in the final year of his contract at Bayern Munich, and has been linked with a move away from the Bundesliga giants ever since refusing to prolong his contract in January. He reportedly was unhappy with Bayern's offer and did not feel the club honoured his status.

The midfielder had first been linked with a switch to Manchester United. But interest from the Premier League cooled down when Louis van Gaal was appointed as the manager at Old Trafford.

During the 2014 World Cup, he had been linked with a transfer to Champions League winners Real Madrid. On Monday, Kroos' agent Volker Struth said there will be an announcement within the next 48 hours.

Speaking to the media at the arrival of the Bayern's Germany players at Munich airport on Tuesday afternoon, Rummenigge confirmed to reporters that Real Madrid and the Bundesliga champions are currently negotiating a deal for the Germany midfielder.

"There are talks between Bayern and Real," Rummenigge said, confirming that, "We don't want to lose the player on a free next season."

Last week, Spanish media reported the transfer fee for Kroos, who scored two and set up four during Germany's title winning campaign at the World Cup, is expected to be somewhere in the region of 25 million euros.