Toni Kroos’ decision to retire following the 2024 European Championship dealt a severe blow to Real Madrid today. It appears that the German has suddenly changed his mind, despite early rumors suggesting that he had consented to sign an extension at the Santiago Bernabeu.
This will create a huge void in Madrid’s middle; they weren’t planning to spend money on a midfield player for the upcoming campaign, but they may now have to, given that Dani Ceballos is also anticipated to depart the team for free. It also begs the issue of who will replace Kroos in the middle of the park and what the midfield trident will look like in the upcoming campaign. Federico Valverde appears to be a contender for the position, though that is still up in the air.
The eight’s weight Federico Valverde is expected to wear the #8 jersey in the upcoming season following Toni Kroos’ departure from the team, according reports from Alberto Pereiro. Since he was given the opportunity to play for Real Madrid’s senior squad in the 2018–19 campaign, Valverde has worn the number 15, and he has also talked about making the shirt famous at the team.
Also, he recently stated that one of the reasons he wants to win the Champions League this year is because it would be Madrid’s 15th championship in the league.
On the other hand, this shouldn’t be shocking because the Uruguayan has previously admitted to having a lot of idolization for Kroos. Who are the alternatives? In the event that Valverde chooses to keep his #15 shirt, Madrid has two other candidates for the uniform for the upcoming campaign: Eduardo Camavinga and Aurelien Tchouameni.
The former, who is currently wearing the #18, played for AS Monaco in his final season with the Ligue 1 powerhouse, wearing the #8 at the time. Conversely, Camavinga played as the #10 for State Rennais, although he may be attempting to unseat Kroos as the #8 next season. Luka Modric, meanwhile, might also have a chance to win the jersey, particularly if Kylian Mbappe forces him to give up the #10. If the Croatian decides to continue with the team for an additional season, he may wear his partner’s jersey number in remembrance of what may have been his final campaign in Madrid or even his time as a player.
