Real Madrid: Breaking down every player who should be kept or sold this summer

Midfielders

1. Carlos Casemiro – KEEP

Is there anyone who disagrees with this? Carlos Casemiro has been one of our biggest assets since his arrival and has continued to be a guaranteed starter under Zidane. He’ll be a threat to the opposition for many years to come.

2. Toni Kroos – KEEP

Even though Toni Kroos is quickly reaching ‘retirement age’, he still has some gas left in the tank. However, I believe that next season will be the final one of us seeing the German at his absolute best but for now, it’s worth keeping him as he has proven to still be miles ahead of many other midfielders in the game. With the current financial situation as well, you simply do not get rid of a player like Kroos.

3. Luka Modric – KEEP

I can’t believe that I’m saying this about a 35-year-old but that’s the magic of Luka Modric. According to reports, he has already agreed on a one-year extension but do not expect the Croatian to play anywhere near as much as he has this season. Next season will possibly be a season for him to pass the mantle to someone else as he plays his part whenever needed.

4. Isco – SELL

If I think back to the Isco that we brought to the club and compare him to the Isco that we have today, it’s quite sad. The Spaniard definitely has what it takes but he’s extremely inconsistent and you never know which version of him you’ll get when he’s on the pitch. That simply is not good enough for a club like Real Madrid and they should get what they can for him this summer and let him finally leave.

5. Federico Valverde – KEEP

We probably all expected to see a lot more of Federico Valverde this season but injuries didn’t help the Uruguayan much. Having said that, he’s proven himself to be a great asset to the team and he offers something that no one else in the squad currently does. He’s also young and eager to learn. There should be no doubts about keeping him.

Current Midfielders on Loan:

1. Dani Ceballos (Arsenal) – KEEP

It’s about time that Dani Ceballos plays an important part with the team. By the time the summer arrives, the Spaniard would have spent two seasons on loan at Arsenal and will be returning with a lot more to give the team.

2. Martin Odegaard (Arsenal) – KEEP

It’s still quite shocking to me that Martin Odegaard was allowed to leave in January on a six-month loan but that’s how things are now. However, Zidane asked for him last summer and didn’t play him as much as he could have but that’ll need to change next season. Odegaard is a gem that we cannot forget about.

Summary:

Real Madrid look okay in the midfield position as they head into next season. The main worry though will be the defensive midfield position since there is no one there that can naturally replace Carlos Casemiro. Just like with the defense though, the potential arrival of David Alaba will help here as well but that would mean also finding at least one more defender to bring in this summer in case.