The transfer market is practically closed at Real Madrid. After strengthening several strategic positions over the past year, only the addition of a player capable of filling the void left by Toni Kroos's retirement remains pending. The sporting management has been analyzing profiles for months, but so far none seemed entirely convincing.
Kroos's presence was so decisive that finding a natural replacement has proven to be an almost impossible mission. The German provided control, composure, and surgical precision that made the difference in major matches.
With his departure, Madrid lost its compass. Xabi Alonso needs someone with enough personality and quality to inherit that role.
Xabi Alonso takes the lead

Since his arrival on the bench, Alonso has been clear that he needed to focus on strengthening the midfield. It's not just about talent, but also about character and leadership ability. In that regard, he has asked the club for patience to find the right player.
Xabi's commitment is firm: he wants a profile that can settle in the team for many years and, in the medium term, become a new locker room leader. The club, aware of the magnitude of the challenge, has agreed to follow his instructions.
Mastantuono, strategic move
One of the first steps has been to register Franco Mastantuono with Castilla. The club has preferred to leave a spot open to fill in the final hours of the transfer market.
Mastantuono won't play a single minute with the reserve team; he has come to play with the first team. The young Argentine is considered a star project, and his placement in Madrid's youth academy responds to a clear strategy: to free up space in the first team for a superstar signing.
For a definitive leap. This move has been interpreted within the club as a sign that the big move, the one for Kroos's successor, is near.
Xabi Alonso's hidden gem
The chosen one is neither cheap nor easy to sign. It's Adam Wharton, English midfielder from Crystal Palace, valued at €115 million.
At 20, he is considered the midfielder most similar to Kroos for his ability to dictate the tempo of matches, his two-footed striking, and his maturity beyond his years.
Xabi Alonso has already given the green light. He believes Wharton fits the model he wants to implement at Real Madrid and that he can become the German's natural heir. It's not a signing for the immediate future, but to define an era.
Large-scale operation
Real Madrid is preparing the operation cautiously. They know it won't be easy to negotiate with an English club, used to selling at high prices. But the decision has been made: if they want Wharton, they'll have to pay his price.
Florentino Pérez understands that this is a strategic investment. Signing the English midfielder would secure the midfield's future for the next decade. The club has already shown with Bellingham that betting heavily on British talent can be very profitable, and now it's ready to repeat the move.
The story repeats itself: Kroos defined an era at Real Madrid and now the club is looking for his natural successor. Everything points to Wharton being the chosen one.