The five best summer deals in La Liga so far.
The Spanish top flight has been a hive of activity so far this summer, as its clubs continue to foster some of the world’s finest talent. Big money has been spent, but who has made the smartest additions? Below is the top five deals that have been conducted by La Liga clubs so far this summer.
5. Luis Suarez: Liverpool to Barcelona – £75m
The controversial Uruguayan will undoubtedly be a fine signing for the Catalan giants, but at £75m he represents a huge risk. Despite never being sent off during his time at Anfield, he clocked up some significant banning orders for both biting and racial abuse.
Barcelona will be aware of his antics tarnishing their image, and furthermore he will be missing for the first few months of the season with his latest suspension. However, upon retuning he will be lining up alongside Lionel Messi and Neymar to form what will quite possibly be the most fearsome front line in world football.
4. James Rodriguez: Monaco to Real Madrid- €60m
Rodriguez could quite easily have slotted into the Real Madrid starting line up last summer when he left Porto, but he likely foresaw his future as the world’s new favourite player and waited.
Having lit up both Ligue 1 and the World Cup, he will now be looking to take him talents to Spain to help Real topple their neighbours Atletico as well as keep Barcelona behind them.
Set to form an alliance with Gareth Bale and Cristiano Ronaldo, he will be hoping to add to the club’s Champions League title with a long awaited domestic league victory.
3. Antoine Griezmann: Real Sociedad to Atlético Madrid – €30m
Unfortunately for Sociedad, the club are set to lose one of their star men as champions Atletico Madrid look to stay one step ahead of their competitors with a marquee signing of their own.
Griezmann has enjoyed a meteoric rise to prominence over the past two seasons, and in the process became one of the most in demand stars in Europe.
The 23-year-old found scored 16 goals in La Liga last season and his form earned him a call up to the France World Cup squad. Atlético are having to pay the buy-out clause of Griezmann, which is a steep figure at €30m, but the winger has the potential to be worth double that in the future.
2) Toni Kroos: Bayern Munich to Real Madrid – €25m
Considering Adam Lallana cost Liverpool £26m, Kroos appears to be even more of a bargain. Now a World Cup winner, the German international made a name for himself as one of the stars of the tournament this summer and left many wondering why Bayern Munich allowed him to leave.
Kroos’ arrival will likely earn them money, too. As the futures of Isco and Asier Illaramendi will surely come in to question. The pair have plenty of suitors, and just the sale of Isco alone would cover what they have spent on Kroos.
Likely to line up alongside James Rodriguez for a place in the side to form a deadly attacking line up.
1) Ivan Rakitic: Sevilla to Barcelona – €19m
The Croatian midfielder became the star of La Liga last season and did so whilst not playing for one of the ‘big three’.
Rakitic will add drive, mobility, goal scoring prowess and set-piece trickery to Barcelona’s ageing midfield as the Croatian playmaker bagged himself 12 goals and 10 assists in La Liga last season for Sevilla.
He was also the driving force behind an unlikely Europa League win in a season of Spanish renaissance on the European stage.