How do Real Madrid fill their gaping Toni Kroos-shaped hole? Alexis Mac Allister, Trent Alexander-Arnold and six potential midfield solutions

It's always a worrying sign for any club when the agent of one of their star players starts mentioning Madrid in the media. Consequently, Liverpool will now be on red alert after Ryan Gravenberch's representative, Jose Rodriguez, talked up his clients of a move to the Bernabeu in an interview with MARCA.

"He's good enough for Real Madrid," Rodriguez said. "We would love for him to play for them, but Liverpool would ask for a lot of money. I know they've had their eye on him, but now it's impossible."

Of course, impossible is nothing as far as Madrid are concerned. They nearly always get what they want, and having already nicked Trent Alexander-Arnold off Liverpool for nothing, it does seem believable that they've been looking at Gravenberch too.

The Dutchman is still very much learning on the job, but he's been a revelation since being deployed as a No.6 by Arne Slot this season, and has the kind of passing range and press-resistant dribbling skills that would make him ideal for the base of the Madrid midfield.

Liverpool may have tired a tad in the second half of the season, which is the main reason why they were upset by Paris Saint-Germain in the last 16 of the Champions League, but when they met Madrid at Anfield in November, they played with the kind of intensity and aggression Real have lacked nearly all season long.

Carlo Ancelotti's side were completely overwhelmed on the night in question, thanks in no small part to a Player-of-the-Match-winning display from Alexis Mac Allister, who not only opened the scoring on Merseyside but also incessantly pressed Bellingham, Modric and Camavinga to the point of distraction in a 2-0 win that was far more comprehensive than the scoreline suggests.

So, while Federico Valverde, who played at right-back on Merseyside, is capable of bringing a similar level of energy to Madrid games, it's not come as a shock to see reports in recent days claiming that Mac Allister is one of their summer transfer targets.

However, as with Gravenberch, it would take a colossal sum of money for Liverpool to even consider parting company with the Argentine World Cup winner, who is an incredibly versatile and influential player - and still only 26.

Madrid aren't the only ones looking for a Kroos replacement. Germany need one too following the veteran playmaker's retirement after Euro 2024, and coach Julian Nagelsmann has publicly admitted that he is hoping Angelo Stiller can fill the void.

The 24-year-old, who has also been compared to another tremendously combative but creative defensive midfielder in Joshua Kimmich, certainly shares some of Kroos' qualities. He reads the game well, has good vision and is a fantastically precise passer of the ball.

On the downside, Stiller signed a new deal with Stuttgart in January and his reported €40 million (£34m/$45m) buyout clause doesn't come into effect until 2026. However, Madrid might try to tempt the Bundesliga outfit with a bigger bid this summer, particularly as Liverpool are also said to be very interested.

Adam Wharton is 21 years old and has still only made 33 appearances in the Premier League - and yet it feels like only a matter of time before he's snapped up by a top team.

The presumption remains that it'll be one of England's elite that eventually agrees to pay Crystal Palace a hefty sum of money for the classy former Blackburn Rovers midfielder, whose confidence in possession and intelligent use of the ball are rare in one so young. Manchester City may even have moved for him during the winter window had Wharton not been injured at the time.

However, according to the Daily Mail, Madrid's chief scout Juni Calafat is also a big admirer of Wharton, who made England's Euro 2024 squad less than six months after leaving Ewood Park. So, while a switch to the Bernabeu still seems a little far-fetched due to his lack of experience at the very highest level, Wharton is definitely one to keep an eye on - particularly if he maintains his current rapid rate of progression.

Have Madrid left it too late to make a proper move for Martin Zubimendi? It was reported in January that Arsenal have already agreed terms with the Real Sociedad midfielder, who has €60 million (£51m/$67.5m) buyout clause.

Of course, Liverpool struck a deal with Zubimendi last summer only for the Spain international to perform a dramatic, eleventh-hour U-Turn and end up staying in San Sebastian. So, unless Zubimendi has actually signed on the dotted line for Arsenal, Madrid might well try to hijack the transfer.

The 26-year-old may not be in the same class as Kroos, but he is a fine defensive midfielder who has drawn comparisons to fellow Basque Xabi Alonso because of the incredibly composed way he goes about controlling the tempo of matches. He would bring a level of control that Tchouameni often struggles to attain.

It's easy to understand why Madrid went all out to convince Alexander-Arnold to leave Liverpool. He's no ordinary right-back; he can cross the ball better than most wingers, while he is able to pick out passes that some attacking midfielders can't even see - let alone execute.

We wonder, then, if Madrid might be considering taking a leaf out of Jurgen Klopp's play-book by utilising Alexander-Arnold as an auxiliary midfielder. There's even a possibility that they might actually be willing to deploy him as a proper part of the midfield - as Gareth Southgate did at Euro 2024.

Alexander-Arnold was made the scapegoat for England's dreadful performances in Germany, but they continued long after he'd been dropped, which only served to underline that he wasn't to blame for their laboured displays. Indeed, he was actually their most progressive passer during his time on the pitch.

So, while playing the 26-year-old as an orthodox midfielder would be a big risk, there's no doubt that Alexander-Arnold's incredible ability on the ball will add a much-needed extra dimension to Madrid's game next season - no matter where they position him.