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With Xavi Hernández leaving, Barcelona's front office is now openly looking for a quality replacement to the legendary tiki-taka maestro. They've already signed Ivan Rakitic from Sevilla, but the quest for the "new Xavi" doesn't stop. And Barça have found him, already.
At least that's what German newspaper Kicker reported on Tuesday. According to the rumour, Barcelona made a formal offer to Bayern Munchen for central midfielder Toni Kroos. The 24-year-old star has been linked with a move away from Bayern for a long time, as he is reportedly not satisfied with being in and out of the starting lineup in Pep Guardiola's scheme. Manchester United are considered the favorites to sign Kroos, but Barça is the first team to make an official offer, according to Kicker.
Kroos' agent, Volker Struth, didn't want to comment on the rumour, but it's public knowledge the fact the he and his client didn't accept Bayern's contract extension yet, since they want to test the market and look for other options. The price tag for his purchase is not that high: Kroos' market value is around £40 million, and Barcelona are allegedly a personal favorite destination.
Toni is currently representing Germany in the World Cup, and he is not expected to return to Munich after the tournament. If Barça's offer is indeed official, Kroos would be one of the best signings of the summer, as he would bring almost everything the Blaugrana will lose with Xavi. Kroos is an elite passer, has easily adapted to Guardiola's tiki-taka at Bayern, and is very young, which makes him a long-term answer in the middle.
