³ÉÈË¿ìÊÖ

Coach Carlo Ancelotti believes Karim Benzema, Luka Modric and Toni Kroos will stay with Real Madrid next season.

The long-serving trio are all out of contract this summer but Ancelotti said "they are talking" about new deals.

Former France striker Benzema, 35, and Croatia midfielder Modric, 37, have won five Champions League titles with Real since 2014, while ex-Germany midfielder Kroos, 33, has won four.

"I think that in the end they will look for a solution," said Ancelotti.

"There are advances, because they are talking."

Real have begun to prepare for the future by signing Eduardo Camavinga, Dani Ceballos, Aurelien Tchouameni and Federico Valverde since 2016.

And although Kroos and Modric have played slightly less often this season, Benzema remains the team's top scorer and claimed a hat-trick in Wednesday's Copa del Rey win over Barcelona, which all three started.

"I think [they] will stay," Ancelotti added. "We have to evaluate the players not by their age but by what they do.

"You can think the three don't have the physical profile or energy of the younger players, but what these three have in terms of game management is unique, you can't buy it on any market in the world.

"This is born with experience - age takes something from you, but it gives you something back as well."