Mastantuono, Trent and Huijsen... but none of them are what Madrid most urgently needs (Kroos already said it)

Real Madrid has already firmly established its squad for next season, although there will be subtle differences between the team that plays in the Club World Cup and the one that will be seen in La Liga starting in August. For now, the board believes the most urgent position to be filled is defense, which is why the club has worked to bring in Dean Huijsen and Trent Alexander-Arnold . Furthermore, they already have their star player in Franco Mastantuono .

The Spanish international and the Englishman have already joined the Real Madrid squad, so they will be available to Xabi Alonso ahead of the Club World Cup . The Argentine is a different case, as he will wear the white shirt from August 14th and will therefore compete in the championship with River Plate. It will be once La Liga starts that the Buenos Aires native can don the Real Madrid shirt and, with that, become a key player for the team starting in the attacking midfield .

And they're not the only ones arriving. In fact, everything indicates that Álvaro Carreras will also arrive at the Santiago Bernabéu in the coming weeks. Another young player with great potential who can offer great moments to the Whites. Without a doubt, the three reinforcements—plus the possible arrival of the Benfica full-back—are great players who will improve Madrid's level and, with it, that of the squad, helping the team become more competitive.

Huijsen has burst onto the scene as a world-class center back. Despite his youth, he displays the restraint of a veteran. This is similar to Trent, who, despite being only 26, is a battle-hardened player at all levels . And Mastantuono is the great pearl of Argentine football: self-confidence, balance, quality, and a wealth of football to spruce up Madrid's attacking resources . But neither of them looks like the key player the team needs.

If we look at the numbers from the season he left, it's clear that Madrid has shone in attack, with Kylian Mbappé as a stellar player, but the defensive side has left much to be desired . That's why the Whites have significantly reinforced their position there, where Carreras also plays, and the addition of another player isn't ruled out either. Mastantuono arrives to be that link in attack... but they need someone to provide him with the ball .

Not long ago, Toni Kroos recommended a signing for Real Madrid: Angelo Stiller . The Stuttgart midfielder is one of those players capable of energizing the entire team with the ball , without needing to be overly focused or showy. He manages to connect defense with attack, moves the ball into defensive positions, and, when it comes to retreating, he understands his role. In other words, a pure midfielder: like Martín Zubimendi, Tijjani Reijnders, or Nicolò Barella , among others.

That much-needed creator

Madrid has successfully shored up its team, as the new signings clearly improve what it had . But it still lacks that much-needed pure midfield player. It's true that it has many players in midfield, such as Valverde, Tchouaméni, Camavinga , and Bellingham , but the only one who offers any signs of what Madrid needs is Dani Ceballos . The problem is that, every season, he misses several months due to injury.

Madrid urgently needs a pure midfielder, a player who can organize all the pieces with the ball at his feet, and who, for now, they don't have. They have a lot of muscle in the middle, a lot of power to get past the lines, but they lack a thinker, especially Now that Luka Modrić will play his final matches at the Club World Cup , the missing piece is that Martín Zubimendi could so well embody, a young player, but with experience and a lot of football to complement the team.

Xabi Alonso may have an ace up his sleeve , such as the conversion of players like Arda Güler or Bellingham himself , but the truth is that Carlo Ancelotti tried and failed to find the key. Mastantuono comes to the team to give Madrid brilliance in the final meters, but it seems that that classic organizer is still missing . Who knows if the Argentine can assume that role at Madrid, but Kroos already said it: a playmaker is needed.