Real Madrid transfer plans for midfield after Toni Kroos retirement announcement | OneFootball

Real Madrid veteran Toni Kroos brought an end to his career on Tuesday, and with it a decade of setting the pace in midfield at the Santiago Bernabeu. It seems all are in agreement that Kroos’ absence will be keenly felt by Los Blancos, but it is an eventuality that they have been planning for.

As per Relevo, Real Madrid will not go into the transfer market this summer to address Kroos’ departure, feeling that Eduardo Camavinga is equipped to eventually take over from him. The Frenchman was purchased with that purpose in mind, and he is the successor, albeit a different style of player.

The construction of the midfield, based on how Carlo Ancelotti has used his resources this season, will be based around Fede Valverde and Aurelien Tchouameni, but Camavinga could stake his claim to be the third in that equation next year. The arrival of Kylian Mbappe will see Vinicius Junior gain a new partner up front, and from there, Ancelotti will have a decision to make on whether to move Jude Bellingham further back into midfield, or to use Camavinga at the base of midfield with Tchouameni.

If that were the case, it would likely mean a place on the bench for Rodrygo Goes, but neither should it be ruled out that Luka Modric works his way back into the team, without the veteran presence of Kroos in the middle. The shift for Bellingham is expected in 12 months time, with Real Madrid setting their sights on Bayer Leverkusen’s Florian Wirtz.