Karim Benzema, Toni Kroos & Luka Modric contract latest: Carlo Ancelotti offers positive update on futures of Real Madrid star trio

• Trio heading towards free agency
• Ancelotti expects all three to stay
• Says talks are ongoing

WHAT HAPPENED? Benzema, Modric and Kroos are all out of contract at Madrid at the end of the season but are being tipped to stay at the Santiago Bernabeu. Ancelotti has spoken about the key trio and believes all three players will sign contract extensions and continue their careers with Los Blancos.

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WHAT THEY SAID: "There is progress, they are talking. I see Benzema, Kroos and Modric as always. Throughout the season, it is normal to have differences in level." he told reporters.

"You have to evaluate them on what they do, not their age. They may not have the physique of the younger players, but nobody in the world has their way of handling matches. You can't buy that in the transfer market. I think that the three of them will continue at Real Madrid, but the day they are not there, we will have to look for another spine. We have youngsters who will also mark an era in Madrid, but they will do it in a different way than Kroos and Modric."

THE BIGGER PICTURE: All three players are well into their thirties but remain key members of Ancelotti's squad. Benzema has scored 25 goals this season, including an historic hat-trick at the Camp Nou last time out, and is expected to sign a new one-year deal. Meanwhile, Modric is still waiting for contract talks to begin, and Kroos has said he is yet to make a decision on what he will do next season.

IN THREE PHOTOS:

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Getty Images

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WHAT NEXT? Madrid host Villarreal in La Liga on Saturday. Victory for Ancelotti's side will cut the gap to league leaders Barcelona to nine points ahead of their clash with Girona on Monday.