Sami Khedira has confirmed he will leave Real Madrid this summer and accused the club of freezing him out during the closing weeks of the season.
The German midfielder, who helped his country win the World Cup last summer, has been linked with a host of clubs, including Italian giants and Champions League finalists Juventus.
Khedira, 28, said he had not discussed a new contract since last October, and had decided by the end of the year he would be better moving on.
"After many conversations, I wasn't sure about extending my contract by four years. I had doubts and in December I decided that it was better to go down another path and take on new challenges," Khedira told Spanish newspaper Marca.
Asked why he has been recently absent from Carlo Ancelotti's team, Khedira said: " You always have to tell the truth. I did have a small injury, a pain in my right heel, but that wasn't why I wasn't playing. It wasn't a complicated injury, I was able to play.
"I've always felt that I've had the coach's backing, but the message indirectly came through to me that I was no longer needed, I was frozen out and wouldn't have a chance to continue playing.
"Nobody from the club said anything to me directly. It's all feelings, incidents and comments saying I wouldn't play any more. But nobody approached me."
The former Stuttgart player, who joined Madrid in 2010, said he has been hurt " to the bottom of my soul" by a season largely spent on the sidelines and dismissed any suggestion he has been unprofessional.
In an Instagram post, with an accompanying picture of himself at Madrid's training ground ahead of Saturday's final match of the season against Getafe, Khedira added: " I am moving on but I will surely miss my club Real, all of its staff and my unbelievable teammates! Guys, it was one heck of a ride!!! #thankyou #halamadrid"
Source: PA
