It’s been a full year since Toni Kroos retired, and Real Madrid still haven’t found anyone capable of filling the void he left behind. Rather than fading with time, his absence has only become more noticeable as the season has gone on. The club has tested multiple options, but none have fully clicked. Arda Güler is currently the closest to taking over the role, but he still lacks the tactical maturity and consistency needed at this level. Xabi Alonso is fully aware of the gap, and he’s made it clear that the midfield needs reinforcements.

According to Vozpópuli, Madrid’s sporting department is already working on possible signings, though with a major constraint: the club’s budget won’t allow for big-money moves unless there’s a significant player sale. Targets like Vitinha or Mac Allister, once considered realistic, are now seen as nearly impossible.

As a result, Madrid is staying true to its long-term strategy, focusing on young talent with high ceilings and still-manageable transfer fees.

One of the names that has gained serious momentum in recent weeks is Angelo Stiller, a deep-lying playmaker from Stuttgart. Another strong option on the table is Hugo Larsson, the Swedish midfielder from Eintracht Frankfurt, though his price tag of around €40 million could prove to be a stumbling block.

And for the long term, Real Madrid is closely watching Kees Smit, the 19-year-old Dutch prodigy from AZ Alkmaar. Recently named MVP of the U-19 European Championship, Smit has shown rare qualities, superb vision, intelligence in positioning, timing in forward runs, and a natural gift for orchestrating play.

The search for a “post-Kroos” identity continues, and with Madrid unwilling to overspend, the focus is clear: find the next great one before the rest of Europe does.

********************************************************

You can now download the Madridista News App for free on the Apple Store and Google Play.

You can follow us on Facebook here.

You can follow us on X (Twitter) here.                                                                    

You can follow us on Instagram here.

You can subscribe to our YouTube channel here.

You can follow us on Telegram here.

You can follow us on TikTok here.

You can join our WhatsApp channel here.