Real Madrid legend Toni Kroos has suggested that his former side will find it difficult to identify a player capable of replacing him.

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• Kroos says Madrid missing midfielder like him
• Los Blancos considering midfield signing
• Madrid face PSG in Club World Cup semi-final

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  WHAT HAPPENED?

  Since retiring a Champions League winner with Real Madrid, Kroos has continued to offer his opinion on his former side on a regular basis. In their first season without the German, Los Blancos finished second in La Liga and were thumped 5-1 on aggregate by Arsenal in the Champions League – a pair of disasters that led to Carlo Ancelotti's sacking and the appointment of Xabi Alonso. Madrid have at times struggled to control games, despite possessing the world's best players, and Kroos believes that a dearth of controllers in his mould has been the key factor behind this.

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  WHAT KROOS SAID

  Via , Kroos said: “They’re still missing a profile like mine, they’re still looking for it. There aren’t many players like that, and the ones that are there aren’t easy to get.

  “It’s too early to judge Xabi’s Real Madrid. It takes time to evaluate the changes and implementation of his ideas.

  “I’m sure Xabi knows how to correct things, as there are things that need to change, because with so much quality – things have to go well.”

• THE BIGGER PICTURE

  When Kroos retired, Ancelotti admitted that it would be difficult to replace the German with existing options Jude Bellingham, Aurelien Tchouameni, Federico Valverde, Dani Ceballos and Eduardo Camavinga unable to match Kroos' abilities with the ball. There have been suggestions that Arda Guler could move into a more central role but the Turkish playmaker remains young. Los Blancos also pushed hard to sign Martin Zubimendi from Real Sociedad, but the Spanish midfielder opted to move to Arsenal.

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  WHAT NEXT FOR REAL MADRID?

  Madrid will continue to search for the right midfielder to offer a Kroos-esque level of control to their midfield, but options remain scarce. Yet, if there is one manager who knows best about finding the right deep-lying playmaker, it would be Alonso. The new Madrid boss played 158 times in La Liga for the club and was the predecessor to Kroos' own excellence.

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