Real Madrid have a gaping hole in their midfield after the retirement of Toni Kroos, because for as much talent as they have in the middle of the park, the recent disappointing 1-1 draw with Mallorca highlighted all that is lost from Kroos’ departure.
The defending champions of Spain and Europe, Real Madrid did not progress the ball or create chances to even half the degree expected against bottom-half side Mallorca without Kroos.
Going forward, Real Madrid will have to count on more creation from the superstar midfield quartet of Jude Bellingham, Fede Valverde, Aurelien Tchouameni, and Eduardo Camavinga.
Meanwhile, Real Madrid should call upon Turkish phenom Arda Guler to get more minutes in his second season after a strong European Championship campaign, and veteran Luka Modric is always available to change games as a passer, too.
Interestingly enough, Real Madrid were reportedly offered a market opportunity from an unexpected source, as MARCA’s Jose Felix Diaz reports, via Madrid Xtra on X.com, that Barcelona center midfielder Ilkay Gundogan was offered to the Merengue club before he chose to reunite with Pep Guardiola and Manchestser City.
It would have been a shock to see Gundogan directly move from Barcelona to Real Madrid, but it is far less of a shock to see the Merengues reject the opportunity to sign the aging 33-year-old on nearly 20 million euro wages.
Gundogan is a good player who had 5 goals and 9 assists last season, and the 2022/23 Champions League winner could offer something to Real Madrid – and will likely pick up where he left off in 2022/23 now that he’s back at the Etihad.
However, there’s a reason why Barcelona are sacrificing Gundogan and his wages in the aftermath of signing Euro 2024 hero Dani Olmo, even though Gundogan was legitimately Barca’s best player in his lone season with the club.
As brilliant as Gundogan is on the ball as a passer, he has declined defensively and cannot progress the ball as a dribbler. He is a one-dimensional player who only fits a club with Man City’s tactical system.
Real Madrid have better, more well-rounded, and higher-upside midfielders, and signing Gundogan to bloated wages would have restricted a possible emergency defensive signing or, worse yet, taken minutes away from Guler’s development.
Los Blancos already have a veteran midfielder in Modric, and he is still twice the player Gundogan is as a ball-winner and progressor. As much as Gundogan is praised a leader, Barcelona were worse in 2023/24 with him – and he didn’t seem to endear himself to his teammates either.
