Five Spanish based aces that would light up the Premier League.
After this summer’s dealings it seems that La Liga stars are back in vogue. With the arrivals of Cesc Fabregas, Javier Manquillo, Alexis Sanchez and Diego Costa, to name but a few, Spain’s star players have been making a mark that all Premier League sides have been taking notice of. Below is a list of five more players that Premier League sides should consider springing for before the transfer window slams shut at the end of the month.
Aymeric Laporte – Athletic Bilbao
Position: Centre-back
Age: 20
The Basque club have produced a number of top players recently, but the most striking thing that links the likes of Javi Martinez, Fernando Llorente and Ander Herrera is not that they all came through the club’s cantera, but the fact that they all fled the nest to further their careers elsewhere.
Tall, quick on the ground and good on the ball, the 20-year-old has been making a name for himself under both Marcelo Bielsa and Ernesto Valverde. He attracted some initial interest from Barcelona earlier this summer, but they baulked at his €30m price tag.
However, English sides have not thought twice when paying those kind of amounts this summer, and his potential alone is surely worth the outlay.
Would suit: Manchester City, Chelsea, Manchester United
Saul Niguez – Atletico Madrid
Position: Centre midfield
Age: 19
The teenage battler spent the previous campaign on loan with Rayo Vallecano, where the lack of pressure allowed him to develop his game in a pressure free environment, though it did mean that he missed out on Atletico’s finest hour.
Often tipped as a future star in the centre of midfield, his versatility allowed him to slip back into the middle of the defence on occasion too, which will undoubtedly make him an attraction alone.
However, Atletico’s options in the middle mean that he could suffer from an over stocked roster, and the club will either look to loan him out again or cash in on him should the right offer come along.
Would suit: Manchester United, Arsenal, Liverpool
Hugo Mallo – Celta Vigo
Position: Right-back
Age: 23
Mallo has done well to recover from a series of big injuries suffered early on in his career, though he is still not at the level that many think he should be at the stage. Once a rival to the likes of Dani Carvajal, Cesar Azpilicueta, Martin Montoya, Juanfran, Alvaro Arbeloa and Javier Manquillo at international level, he still has a lot of work to do to get back to those heights again.
Strong going forward, he has added the awareness to his game that now sees him tracking back just as much, and his performances last season saw him stand out.
Perhaps not ready for a move to a top side just yet, he would do well to spend some time at a mid-table club in order to get used to the demands and rigours of the English game.
Would suit: West Ham, Swansea, Aston Villa.
Carlos Bacca – Sevilla
Position: Striker
Age: 27
The Colombian international was brought in last summer as a replacement for the Manchester City bound Alvaro Negredo, and helped the club to a credible fifth place finish as well as victory in the Europa League.
His dynamism in front of goal will undoubtedly make him an attractive prospect for anybody in need of a goalscorer with €20m to spare.
He hit the net 21 goals across all competitions last term, including a double against Real Madrid in a shock victory. Not bad for somebody that drove a bus until 2007!
Would suit: Tottenham, Arsenal, Liverpool
Adama Traore – Barcelona
Position: Forward
Age: 18
The latest in a long line of exciting up and comers to graduate from the club’s famed youth academy and the latest in a long line of young stars making their way into the first team.
Traore can operate anywhere along the forward line, though despite making waves it is unlikely that he will be given a regular first team shot anytime soon.
However, as teammate Gerard Deulofeu showed at Everton last term, a season long loan away from the club could do wonders in terms of development and and number of clubs would do well to make an enquiry with a view to bringing him away from the Nou Camp on a short term basis.
Would suit: Everton, Southampton, Tottenham