Manchester United’s failure to compete with Manchester City this season and their early exit in the Champions League might force Jose Mourinho to make wholesale changes to his squad. It is already reported that the Portuguese tactician has a wish list of a number of top-class players, who can walk into the first team at Old Trafford next season and one name extensively doing the rounds is Real Madrid ace Toni Kroos.
Mourinho Desperate For Kroos:
Real Madrid, who themselves are struggling in the domestic league in Spain, are also planning a squad overhaul this summer and a number of first team stars are now afraid of their place in the first team at Bernabeu next season. Manchester United are ready to take advantage of this situation and are expected to make a huge bid for German midfielder Toni Kroos this summer.
Reports from Spain suggest that Real Madrid are not willing to let go of Kroos any time soon but United can surely lure him with financial incentives. But is he the right man for the Red Devils?
Kroos And His History:
A central midfielder who can play an attacking or a defensive role, the Bayern Munich academy product won three league titles and a UCL title in his time in Germany, before he joined the Spanish giants back in 2014. He has lifted the La Liga and a couple of UCL titles in Spain and has established himself as one of the best midfielders in Europe at the moment.
An excellent dribbler with marvellous vision and even better technique, Kroos is adept at sitting back and controlling the game. He can keep the ball rolling under pressure and can break even the best of defences with a single pass but his biggest asset is his ability to create space for him and his teammates in the final third, exposing the opposition backline consistently.
He is also a specialist over a dead-ball and will probably walk into most top squads in Europe at the moment. At just 28, he is still in the prime of his career and is an integral part of the German national side that will fight for the World Cup in Russia later this year.
Right Man For United?
The Red Devils are set to lose Michael Carrick this summer while Marouane Fellaini and Ander Herrera have not impressed Mourinho enough to warrant a place in the first team next season. Nemanja Matic and Paul Pogba are the first choice midfielders at the moment while Scott McTominay has done no harm to his chances.
But Kroos can walk into this side and can play on the other side of Matic in a 4-3-3, a system that saw Paul Pogba at his best in Italy. Kroos can act as the box to box midfielder while Matic will sit back and soak up the pressure. This will free Pogba to roam in a more offensive role, which is imperative for United’s chances next season.
It will not be easy to lure Real Madrid into selling but do you think Kroos can solve the midfield problems at Old Trafford next season?
