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Since signing from Bayern Munich in the summer of 2014, Toni Kroos has been one of the cornerstones for Real Madrid. He has featured in almost all the important fixtures, helping Real Madrid by dictating play and providing inch-perfect passes. Unfortunately, Real Madrid will not be able to count on their midfield maestro for their opening round of La Liga 2021-22 fixtures.
As confirmed by Toni Kroos and Real Madrid, the 2014 World Cup winner has been diagnosed with pubalgia - a sports-induced hernia. He is set to take some time off to treat the injury. At best, the player will miss at least a month of football. In case of surgery, he could miss up to 12 weeks. Given how important a role Kroos plays, Real Madrid are in desperate need of a capable replacement.
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Today, we will take a look at five possible stop-gaps for the time being - players who can fill in for Toni Kroos and possibly add a unique flair to the Real Madrid midfield and attack.
#5 Dani Ceballos
When Real Madrid went all out for the Real Betis midfielder in the summer of 2017, most Madridistas expected the Spaniard to play a starring role in the seasons to come. He got the chance to show his quality, of course, but only a couple of sub-par performances were enough to get him shipped off to Arsenal, on loan.
After spending two seasons in north London, Ceballos is desperate to make a mark in the Spanish capital. But he will be hoping for some favors from newly-appointed coach Carlo Ancelotti. With Toni Kroos out for the first few game weeks of the season, Ceballos could get the chance to impress the Santiago Bernabeu faithful.
Unfortunately, Ceballos himself has suffered an ankle injury at the Tokyo Olympics and it could take a while for him to return to full fitness. Hopefully, he will brush it off and take his place alongside Luka Modric on the Real Madrid team sheet.
#4 Marcelo
Deploying veteran Real Madrid captain Marcelo as a left-sided midfielder could pop up as a viable option for Carlo Ancelotti, especially if he wishes to keep the opposition guessing. The adventurous Brazilian would also not mind getting an advanced role, as his attacking qualities continue to outweigh his defensive contributions.
The legendary left-back is not a natural in the middle of the park. However, against teams that like to sit deep and invite pressure, Real Madrid could certainly benefit from Marcelo’s inviting crosses and quick one-twos with his teammates.
Real Madrid will have to switch up their system to bring the unlikely Toni Kroos replacement into the fold. If the system clicks, one way or the other, opponents will certainly be caught off guard. They will then have to spend valuable resources trying to neutralize the Brazilian threat.
#3 Isco
In 2016-17, Real Madrid midfielder Isco used to be one of the most respected names in Spanish football. He was part of the formidable midfield of Toni Kroos, Luka Modric and Casemiro. Unfortunately, the years have not been kind on the attacking midfielder. He has slowly fallen prey to a severe lack of match sharpness and loss of vertical intelligence in the middle of the park.
Isco used to operate at the top of the midfield diamond between 2016 and 2018. Alongside Kroos, Modric and Casemiro, Isco proved himself to be an unplayable midfielder. Now, he looks like a shadow of his older self.
He fell out of favor in Zinedine Zidane’s second spell, and could not find a way back. Under Carlo Ancelotti, he is trying his best to come back into the fold, and Toni Kroos’ untimely absence could very well give him the chance he craves.
#2 Martin Odegaard
After splashing millions on known world-beaters, Real Madrid president Florentino Perez decided to play the waiting game. He decided to purchase promising young talents and develop them in front of his eyes at Real Madrid. The project took off in 2015, when Real Madrid Castilla signed Martin Odegaard from Stromsgodset.
Since the move, Odegaard has not had the opportunity to prove himself in the Spanish capital, as he was loaned out to almost every country in the vicinity. His last La Liga stint at Real Sociedad was his most promising. But even that could not restrict yet another loan spell - this time to Arsenal. Eventually Real Madrid thought about the aging duo of Toni Kroos and Luka Modric, deciding to call Odegaard back from loan and give him a fair shot.
With Toni Kroos out of contention for the first few matches, Martin Odegaard could greatly benefit from Carlo Ancelotti’s team selection. The Norwegian might even get his preferred position - at the top of the midfield triangle - with Luka Modric and Casemiro playing double pivot under him.
#1 Fede Valverde
Fede Valverde is likely to be the most obvious replacement for Toni Kroos. The young Uruguay midfielder has been an outright fan favorite since his debut for Real Madrid. He could get the chance to cement his position even further during Toni Kroos’ absence.
The central midfielder has already played alongside Luka Modric and Casemiro, and he never looked like putting a foot wrong. He is exceptionally agile, full of stamina, and can shoot from great distances to keep the opposition 'keeper guessing throughout the 90.
In the 2020-21 campaign, Valverde suffered a couple of unfortunate injuries, which severely affected his game time. Despite the difficulties, Valverde managed to play in 24 La Liga matches, starting in 15 of those. He even managed to get on the scoresheet on three occasions in the 2020-21 La Liga season.
