After Toni Kroos announced his retirement last summer, many thought Real Madrid would be able to cope with his absence due to the sheer amount of midfield talent the squad has.
However, this season that has been far from the case. The performances from the midfield have varied from game to game and that has cost the team results numerous times.
Players like Fede Valverde, Eduardo Camavinga, and Aurelien Tchouameni were expected to fill the shoes left by the German legend but those shoes have proven to be too big for even some of the best midfielders in Europe.
With the midfield struggling this season, Real Madrid are assessing their options in the summer transfer market to bring some stability, and the club seems to have their eyes on a fellow La Liga midfielder who is also wanted by several top Premier League clubs.
Real Madrid in talks for €60 million Arsenal midfield target
As reported by Football Espana, Real Madrid are increasing conversations for Real Sociedad midfielder Martin Zubimendi as the club continues to look for their long term replacement for Toni Kroos.
Zubimendi has emerged as a key player for Sociedad in the past few seasons, becoming one of the most reliable and consistent midfielders in La Liga.
His calmness on the ball and ability to control the tempo of the play has caught the eyes of several top clubs in Europe, including Real Madrid. The midfielder has a very similar profile to Toni Kroos which is exactly what the club are looking for in the transfer market.
The Spaniard has a release clause of €60 million which makes the midfielder a somewhat costly yet still attractive option for Real Madrid this summer. However, securing his signature won't be an easy job as Real Madrid will have to put up with competition from other top European clubs like Arsenal and Liverpool who have had an interest in the midfielder for some time now.