'Legends have to stay at Real Madrid' - Carlo Ancelotti confident Karim Benzema & Toni Kroos will sign new contracts

• Neither player has signed new deal
• Ancelotti is confident they will stay
• Young talent has Madrid set long term

WHAT HAPPENED? The Athletic has reported that both men are in talks with Real over new contracts, but no formal agreement has been finalised for either man at this stage. Kroos, 33, and Benzema, 35, have been crucial parts of Real's recent success, and Ancelotti does not think there is any risk of the pair dropping into the free agency pool this summer.

WHAT THEY SAID: The Blancos boss told a press conference when quizzed on Kroos: “I know what will happen, but I can’t tell you. I am not Kroos. He hasn’t told me, but I think it’s positive. The feeling I have is that he can renew.”

Ancelotti echoed the same sentiment for Benzema amid rumours of Juventus striker Dusan Vlahovic emerging as a potential transfer target for Real ahead of the summer window.

"We have a 9, which at the moment is Karim. It is true that he is not a kid, but we have him — also for next year," he said. “I don’t know if (Benzema) has renewed or not (but) the legends of this club, as far as I think, have to stay at Real Madrid.”

THE BIGGER PICTURE: Real have signed or brought through younger players in a number of key positions. It seems likely that Kroos will be phased out of the side in the near future amid midfield competition from the likes of Aurelien Tchouameni and Eduardo Camavinga, but Benzema remains Ancelotti's go-to man in a central striker berth.

IN THREE PHOTOS:

WHAT NEXT FOR BENZEMA/KROOS? The duo will continue to be first-team regulars as negotiations over new deals play out behind the scenes. Benzema and Kroos could both be in Ancelotti's line up when Real face Elche in La Liga on Wednesday night.