After forming an iconic midfield triangle with Casemiro and Luka Modric at the Bernabeu, the Brazillian left for Manchester United in August, and both Toni Kroos and Modric's contracts with Real Madrid expire in June of the next year. On the other hand, the German recently said that he has not yet chosen whether to retire or extend his contract with the Spanish side next summer.
It's no exaggeration to say that the 32-year-old has been playing at a career-high level the past seasons, as he has been instrumental in the Whites' dominance in La Liga. The fact that he is improving means that Real Madrid never felt the need to actively seek a successor. For 2023, it will no longer be the case.
As he approaches his 33rd birthday in January, certain Spanish media outlets are reporting that the former Bayern midfielder is seriously contemplating an early retirement from soccer at the conclusion of the current season. As a result, Florentino Perez must start planning for the future. This has led to Los Blancos' interest in a number of promising young midfielders.
Option 1: Jude Bellingham
Real Madrid's scouting radar keeps sending out signals about the young talent they've been looking for. In the top spot on the list is Jude Bellingham. In fact, Spanish newspaper Marca claim that the club have taken all the appropriate measures in this regard, going so far as to have spoken with the player's representatives months before he decided not to extend the contract that ties him to Borussia Dortmund.
Bellingham has spent little time in the World Cup demonstrating his full range of skills. The midfielder can play the ball and pick out a nice pass for his attackers, but he can also go into the box as well as a striker. Even though he is just 19 years old, he began for the Three Lions in their encounter against Iran and made his impact by scoring the first goal, by a header, after 35 minutes.
Later, he was crucial to England's attack, making appearances on the flanks and inside the opposition's penalty box. A key contributor, he set up Jack Grealish for the third and sixth goals with pinpoint passes. Bellingham's market value was already sky-high following his incredible season with Borussia Dortmund, but it has almost probably increased after the Group Stage of the World Cup. Bellingham would join the top 10 most expensive moves since his price tag is beyond €100 million.
Option 2: Enzo Fernandez
In light of this information, Real Madrid is reportedly keeping a careful eye on Enzo Fernandez, an Argentine player they had been keeping tabs on before the World Cup increased his worth. In fact, Marca reveals that the Whites came really close to acquiring his services when two factors derailed the transaction. First, before Vinicius, Rodrygo, and Eder Militao were nationalized, there wasn't a free spot available outside of the EU.
The second factor that cast doubt on his ability to succeed in Europe was the adjustment time he would face upon arrival. With his play for Benfica, he has rapidly silenced the naysayers. The second of Argentina's World Cup games he played proved that he is a top-tier player. The 21-year-old was substituted into both of his country's World Cup matches in Qatar thus far, including Saturday's 2-1 victory against Mexico, when he scored his first goal for his country.
With his goal in the 87th minute, he became the youngest La Albiceleste player to score in a World Cup since Lionel Messi in 2006. There have been reports that he will soon become the second Argentine player to be worth €80 million. In addition, he has the potential to become the most expensive Argentine player of all time at the end of the next season.
