An earlier report from Manchester Evening News claimed that Manchester City were interested in signing Real Madrid star Toni Kroos in the summer transfer window to bolster their midfield. However, the move did not quite materialize and Pep Guardiola was left wandering in search of a central midfielder.
Manchester City have made a strong start to their season with five wins from their six five games and are one of the three teams that are still unbeaten in the Premier League. With plenty of talent in their ranks, City arguably have the best squad in England and one of the finest in Europe.
In Raheem Sterling, Leroy Sane, Sergio Aguero, Gabriel Jesus, David Silva and Bernardo Silva, City have one of the most potent attacking forces in the world to challenge any club on the planet. On the other hand, the likes of John Stones, Kyle Walker, Benjamin Mendy, Aymeric Laporte and Vincent Kompany provide enough choices for Guardiola to assemble a formidable backline.
Despite boasting of plentiful resources in both departments, the central midfield is an area that should be a cause of concern for Guardiola. In Ilkay Gundogan and Fernandinho, City have two high-quality central midfielders. Gundogan, 27, still has a long way to go but Fernandinho is already 33 and this might as well be his last season in the Premier League. The veteran Brazilian has been in good form in the current season but he must call it a day sooner or later.
City will face a tough time replacing someone of Fernandinho’s calibre and the situation has hurried the manager to look for immediate reinforcements. The Sky Blues have been linked with PSG star Adrien Rabiot (Manchester Evening News) and Lyon youngster Lucas Tousart (Daily Star), both of whom can be deemed potential replacements for Fernandinho.
With all due respect to Tousart, an exciting young prospect, and Rabiot, who is immensely talented and already has a lot of experience under his belt at a young age – they cannot be compared to someone like Toni Kroos. Kroos has reigned supreme in the La Liga for Real Madrid with his unparalleled brilliance and has the experience of winning all the accolades in the world.
A part of the Real Madrid squad that won three consecutive UEFA Champions League titles, Kroos is one of the few players who has won the Champions League with two different teams, having tasted glory with Bayern Munich in 2012/13. He has won the Bundesliga, La Liga and the FIFA Club World Cup on previous occasions and successfully replicated his heroics on the international front with Germany, when he won the 2014 FIFA World Cup in Brazil.
Kroos, who currently earns £156,000-a-week, is definitely one of the best footballers on the planet and it is useless to talk about his credentials. The 28-year-old German is one of the stars at his current club and Madrid would not let him leave so easily, particularly after the departure of Cristiano Ronaldo. Los Blancos will make every effort to keep the German at the club by slamming a huge price tag to keep potential suitors at bay.
However, Manchester City have the backing of Sheikh Mansour and Guardiola should have enough cash at his disposal to land the German in January. The winter transfer window is the ideal time to make the bid, given that players are likely to be available at an optimum value.
Despite enjoying commendable success on the domestic front, Manchester City haven’t been able to establish themselves as powerhouses in Europe. They have become regular participants in the Champions League for quite some time now but haven’t gotten past the semi-finals.
Kross has the experience of winning several trophies in Europe and he could add a winning mentality to the team. Furthermore, he has played with Gundogan before and should build a healthy understanding with his international teammate in the heart of the midfield.
That said, this deal might be the one that helps Manchester City achieve supremacy in Europe.