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According to El Nacional, Real Madrid manager Carlo Ancelotti has told Toni Kroos and Fede Valverde that he can keep only one of them this season, as there's only one free space in midfield.
Eduardo Camavinga is expected to be a starter while Aurelien Tchouameni looks set to be a mainstay in the pivot role. New signing Jude Bellingham is also set to be a key player this season, so there's only one spot remaining in the four-man midfield.
Kroos and Valverde have both been key players for the club recently. While the German flourishes with his metronomic passing control, Valverde is more of an engine and is also more dynamic.
Kroos has made 417 appearances for the Madrid giants since arriving in 2014 and is one of the team's most accomplished players. He has scored 27 goals and provided 89 assists across competitions. Valverde, meanwhile, was in spectacular form last season, bagging 12 goals and seven assists in 56 games acoss competitions.
However, the aforementioned report says that Real Madrid can accommodate only one of the duo in the team next season, and Kroos is the more likely one to start. That's because of the German's attributes, which can help the team more than Valverde's.
What Real Madrid manager Carlo Ancelotti said about Jude Bellingham
Speaking about Real Madrid midfielders, Jude Bellingham is expected to be a mainstay in the middle of the park this season after completing a €103 million move from Borussia Dortmund.
The Englishman is one of the finest young players in the world in his position. Speaking about Bellingham's abilities and the areas he excels, Ancelotti said (via Los Blancos' website):
“He excels at bursting into the box with and without the ball. He can get to the opponent's area early and being further forward in his position damages the opponent.
"He's an extraordinary player. He can play as an inside player, but he's very dangerous as a playmaker.”
Bellingham has started the team's La Liga season opener against Athletic Bilbao at San Mames on Saturday (August 12). Despite his tender age (20), he exudes maturity beyond his years and is expected to become a key player for the team this term.
