Madrid Eyes Kroos-Like Midfielder for Hefty Price: Neither Wirtz Nor Musiala

Looking ahead to the next season, Real Madrid is considering several midfielders, and among them is a player not very favored by Madridismo.

Real Madrid drew 0-0 with Betis this Saturday in their last La Liga match at the Santiago Bernabéu, a game marked by Toni Kroos’s farewell after the German announced earlier this week that he would retire from professional football after the Euro 2024, which will be held in his home country from June 14 to July 14.

Madrid’s No. 8 will end a ten-year spell during which he won 22 titles, potentially adding another Champions League trophy if the team beats Borussia Dortmund on June 1 in the final at Wembley, a historic stadium where Real Madrid has never played.

The German’s departure is already being scrutinized by the club. However, Carlo Ancelotti mentioned in the post-match press conference on Saturday that replacing Kroos is an impossible task, dismissing Bellingham for this position.

Real Madrid is closely monitoring Florian Wirtz, their top choice, and Jamal Musiala. Wirtz, who has established himself as one of Bayer Leverkusen’s best players this season, is under contract until 2027, but Real Madrid might negotiate with the Germans next year. Musiala, on the other hand, plays for Bayern Munich and is contracted until 2026.

However, another name has emerged as a potential replacement for Kroos: Rodri Hernández, according to reports from ‘As’ and ‘Fichajes.Net’. Approaching 28, the Spaniard has spent five seasons at Manchester City and is currently a key player in Pep Guardiola’s squad.

The issue is that Rodri is not well-liked by Madridismo, as he has previously downplayed Real Madrid’s achievements, especially after the team eliminated the ‘citizens,’ such as in the current Champions League quarterfinals.