Christoph Kramer has renewed his contract with Bayer Leverkusen, extending his terms with the German side until 2019.
The midfielder, who currently on-loan at Borussia Monchengladbach, was being heavily linked with a January move to Real Madrid in recent weeks. But news of his contract renewal will mean that the La Liga giants will have to look elsewhere if they are going to strengthen their midfielding options during the upcoming transfer window.
Despite scoring one of the more legendary own goals in the Bundesliga earlier this season, Kramer has been steadily putting in strong displays for Monchengladbach, and was also a member of Germany’s World Cup-winning side in Brazil. The 23-year-old Leverkusen product has been heavily linked with a host of Europe’s top clubs.
But today the player released a statement on Leverkusen’s official website professing his long term future at the club.
“Following discussions with Leverkusen officials there was little doubt about extending my contract,” Kramer said. “I have been with Bayer 04 since my youth, and it was always my dream to play there, in the first team.”
“I have succeeded thanks to loan spells at VfL Bochum and Borussia Monchengladbach. It is great happiness for me.”
Manager Carlo Ancelotti had recently praised the German international and confessed that he was an admirer of his talents.
It had been reported in both the Spanish and German media that Kramer was being targeted by Real Madrid following the injury suffered by midfielder Luka Modric.
Cruzeiro midfielder Lucas Silva was tipped to be the front runner for a January switch to the Santiago Bernabeu. But Madrid have yet to meet Cruzeiro’s asking price for the Brazilian starlet (£12 million) and have seen two lesser bids for the player rejected by the Brasileirao champions.
At the time, officials at the Spanish club were counting on the idea that if a deal couldn’t be reached for Silva, the ten-time champions of Europe could turn their attentions to Kramer.
But with the German international extending his deal with his parent club, Ancelotti’s side will now have to reconsider their options. They can elect to carry on with the players in their current squad, meet Cruzeiro’s asking price for Silva, or target another arrival for the January transfer window.
After winning their first-ever FIFA Club World Cup, Real Madrid have a few days rest before they are to play a friendly in Dubai against AC Milan on December 3oth.
Kramer and the rest of the Bundesliga are just beginning their winter’s break, which won’t see German clubs return to action until January 31st.
