Match Report: Napoli 1 - 1 Bayern Munich

Two teams, two formations. In this Champions League Group A fixture, the contrast between the 3-4-3 of Napoli and the 4-2-3-1 of Bayern Munich determined the outcome of the result. Bayern were the better side in the game and controlled the possession of the ball, yet they seemed content to draw away to Napoli and sit atop the hardest group in the Champions League. Despite the contrast in formations, both clubs had difficulty tracking the runs from deep of opposing players, namely Christian Maggio and Toni Kroos, and also focused their play down the wings.


Line Ups:

The Game:


Bayern dominated from the first whistle and scored quickly, in the 2nd minute, from a well taken Kroos goal. Bayern passed the ball shortly and quickly, building up pace as they passed it forward, then distributed it out wide to Jerome Boateng who's low cross fell into the path of the running Kroos, who then accelerated past the Napoli defence and side footed it home.


Napoli then tried to get back in the game, using the runs of Maggio and Zúñiga out wide to fathom chances. Cavani didn't feature in the game and didn't look sharp; arguably the service towards him wasn't great but Lavezzi tried to create chances through his precise dribbling. Maggio, who earlier looked slightly wasteful, finally had a run that came into fruition after receiving a through ball from Gökhan Inler and he put the ball across the six yard box, where it was turned in by the hapless Holger Badstuber.


Bayern dominated early on in the second half, receiving a dubious penalty in the 49th minute from a Cannavaro handball. Mario Gómez missed the penalty with a poor effort and from then the game dwindled down, both teams content with a draw.





Passing:


Bayern comfortably controlled possession, especially in the early first half, mainly due to their one-man advantage in the middle of the field. Bayern's three central midfielders outnumbered Napoli's two and they played short passes through the middle. Eventually, however they forced it out wide to Franck Ribery or Thomas Müller. Despite this, Bayern were more patient in their passing and waited for opportunities to arrive.


Napoli, on the other hand, were far more riskier with their passing and played more directly, looking to get the ball on the wings quicker. This was helped by the passing prowess that all three of their centre backs had in sending long balls out wide. Furthermore, Napoli had only one good passer of the ball in the middle, Inler, and they looked to get the ball forward to the wings or to their front three.


Runs from Deep:


Both goals in the game came from the difficulty the teams had in tracking runs from deep. For Bayern, the main threat came from Kroos while for Napoli it was Maggio.


Kroos ran from deep in the middle of the pitch and early on, Napoli had trouble defending against this. Soon however, Campagnaro started to get forward to stop Kroos. This reduced the effectiveness of Kroos but it wasn't ideal for Campagnaro to track him as he struggled. This in theory would work, as Napoli had two spare centre backs against Bayern's lone striker and they could afford to lose one, yet it made their two-man defence very narrow and susceptible to Ribery down the flanks. Perhaps Gargano could have tracked Kroos from deep, preserving the back three of Napoli, but his marking would have been put under question.


Bayern found it difficult to prevent Maggio's runs from deep, which may in part be because most teams nowadays employ wingers further forward, cutting inside onto their stronger foot. Maggio, however, liked to send crosses without cutting in and ran from a deep position. Schweinsteiger should have prevented his runs further down the pitch but he isn't a player renowned for his defensive abilities.


Napoli Defending the Wings:


Napoli played with a three man defence and weren't protected from Bayern's wingers, especially Ribery, as they didn't have any full backs. Ribery is a modern type of winger who likes to cut inside and play further up the pitch and Napoli had problems with him. Instead of preventing him from finding any space down the flanks, they focused on stopping them from his position. The first line of defence was Maggio, who additionally to running forward, tracked back to stop Ribery. Then, the next layer of defence was the closest centre back to Ribery, in this case Campagnaro, who closed him down by playing as a full-back, leaving the other centre backs to reposition themselves more centrally. If Bayern worked harder and Ribery played to his full potential, this area would have been more decisive in the game; instead for large parts Ribery was ineffectual.


Conclusion:


An interesting game between two very different formations which fizzled out in the second half as the two teams started to play for a draw.

Talent Scout: Eredivisie

As a country of only 16 million inhabitants, the Netherlands has had to continuously churn out prospects to punch above its weight. Clubs like Ajax, Feyenoord and PSV are renowned across the world for their youth systems and these clubs and others are the reason why the Dutch team is so successful.


Furthermore, the Eredivisie is seen as a stepping stone onto the bigger European leagues for foreign players, and greats such as Ronaldo, Romario and Zlatan Ibrahimović (footballing 'great' may be a bit too flattering to Zlatan) have played in the Netherlands. 


The best young footballer plying his trade in the Eredivisie today is Christian Eriksen of Ajax, a playmaker possessing a delicate touch of the ball which coupled with spontaneous creativity could make him Denmark's best ever player, possibly better even than Michael Laudrup. Surely to progress his career he would need to leave Ajax in a couple of years time to one of the top four leagues like many before him have done. 


This blog, however, will explore the slightly lesser-known burgeoning talents of the Eredivisie, featuring Zakaria Labyad, Adam Maher, Lorenzo Ebecilio and Nicolai Boilesen.


Zakaria Labyad: PSV Eindhoven

Name: Zakaria Labyad

D.O.B.: 09/04/1993

Age: 18

P.O.B.: Utrecht, Netherlands

Position: Right Winger, Attacking Midfielder

Club: PSV Eindhoven

Nationality: Morocco (eligible for the Netherlands)

Previous Clubs: None


Zakaria Labyad names Ibrahim Afellay as one of his role models, and it's not difficult to see why. Both of them were born in Utrecht to Moroccan parents, started their careers at PSV and play at the right wing position. Labyad is not, however, a clone made by PSV to resurrect their club as his style of play differs from Affelay's. The Barcelona star is more explosive than Labyad, who is less direct and more crafty. 


The young winger has a long future at the Boeren and Rutten is using him more and more. His international future is less certain, as he has represented the Netherlands at the 2009 U-17 World Cup but this year played for Morocco U-23 in a friendly versus Mozambique. Whichever national team he plays for will be pleased as Labyad can both score and create chances for his team.


Stengths:

• He exhibits good vision and passing abilities to suggest that he may have a future in the centre of midfield.
• He has precise, close, dribbling skills, similar to Juan Manuel Iturbe, as it is difficult to tackle him without fouling.
• Labyad has decent pace and can beat the defender using it.
• His finishing ability is better than average for a winger, which would be better employed on the left wing with him cutting in onto his right.

Weaknesses:

• His crossing ability needs to be refined to diversify his game.
• He needs to get a bit stronger to evade challenges from defenders.

Verdict: Ability - 6/10; Potential - 8.5/10

Adam Maher: AZ Alkmaar

Name: Adam Maher

D.O.B.: 20/07/1993

Age: 18

P.O.B.: Amsterdam, Netherlands

Position: Attacking Midfielder, Central Midfielder

Club: AZ Alkmaar

Nationality: Netherlands (elegible for Morocco)

Previous Clubs: None


Another talented Dutch Moroccan, Adam Maher has emerged as a first team member of AZ's squad, scoring 3 goals and providing 4 assists in 12 appearances for the team this season. The midfielder is a rough diamond, as his passing skills and technique are indicators of his great talent, but there are still facets of his game he needs to improve. Despite his inexperience, Maher shows tremendous composure on the ball, as exhibited in his assist for Jozy Altidore against PSV earlier this season.


Maher has found life relatively comfortable so far in the Eredivisie, but he has to work hard to keep his place in AZ and he must learn from his older teammates at the club. Similar to Labyad, Maher is eligible for both Morocco and the Netherlands, who he also played for in the 2009 U-17 World Cup.


Strengths:

• Maher has great vision and dictates the attack well.
• His passing ability is exquisite for his age and he retains possession well, while also creating chances.
• His skillful first touch gives him time to pick out a pass.

Weaknesses:

• Maher isn't as fast as other players and will need to develop his dribbling skills to get past defenders.
• His positioning is questionable although this is something that will probably come with experience.

Verdict: Ability - 5.5/10; Potential - 8.5/10

Lorenzo Ebecilio: Ajax Amsterdam

Name: Lorenzo Ebecilio

D.O.B.: 24/09/1991

Age: 20

P.O.B.: Hoorn, Netherlands

Position: Left Winger

Club: Ajax Amsterdam

Nationality: Netherlands

Previous Clubs: HVV Hollandia (Youth), AZ Alkmaar (Youth)


Brother of Arsenal's Kyle Ebecilio, Lorenzo is a fast paced winger who helped Ajax to their league title last year. Playing in 16 Eredivisie matches last season, Ebecilio has not been used as much this season following the arrival of singing Derk Boerrigter. Despite this, Ebecilio still remains an exciting prospect due to his agility and trickery down the left flank.

When he was 14, Ebecilio suffered a heart-attack and as a result had to leave AZ Alkmaar. After a successful surgery which implanted a heart defibrillator, Ebecillio was cleared to play again and signed for Ajax's youth team.

Strengths:

• Ebecilio is very agile and will test defender's balance as he darts from side to side on the wing.
• His acceleration will be valuable for clubs that use the counter attack as his position on the wing will result in him having lots of space to run in.
• Ebecilio also has a bag of tricks to unload on opponents, aiding him when he has to get out of tight situations.
• His movement off the ball will create space for himself and for others.

Weaknesses:

• He needs to work on his finishing although if he continues to play on the left he would need to improve on his crossing.
• His decision making is questionable and he needs to be more productive in the build up play.

Verdict: Ability - 6/10; Potential - 8/10

Nicolai Boilesen: Ajax Amsterdam

Name: Nicolai Boilesen

D.O.B.: 16/02/1992

Age: 19

P.O.B.: Ballerup, Denmark

Position: Left Back

Club: Ajax Amsterdam

Nationality: Denmark

Previous Clubs: Brondby (Youth)


While Christian Eriksen may be the more famous Dane in Amsterdam, Boilesen is another player that will set the hearts racing of the Danish FA. If there was one word to describe Boilesen, it would be 'efficient'. He is efficient in his passing, tackling and runs, rarely making a mistake. His attacking play does not, however, set the hearts racing of casual football fans and he does need to improve his technique. That said, he still remains an intriguing footballer.


Strengths:

• Boilesen is a fast player, meaning he can catch up to attackers on the wing and join up with counter attacks.
• Boilesen takes long strides while running, and these long legs help him tackle cleanly and gain possession of the ball.
• Boilesen is a very effective passer for a full back and can retain possession for his team.

Weaknesses:

• When his team loses possession, Boilesen needs to maintain his focus and position himself correctly to stop any counter attacks.
• Boilesen's crossing ability needs to improve as a world-class full back can send in dangerous crosses from deep.

Verdict: Ability - 6/10; Potential - 8.5/10

Article on In Bed With Maradona

I have had an article published on www.inbedwithmaradona.com on Novi Pazar's promotion to the Serbian SuperLiga. It can be found here

It has now been republished on worldsoccer.com, the online website of the popular magazine

5 Young Players to Watch in Bundesliga

The German Bundesliga in recent years has produced a plethora of young talent with other European countries (apart from Spain) looking enviously at the Central European country's options for the future. The Bundesliga has also seen talented young players from other countries plying their trade with the nation's best players. This year is no different, with several youngsters hoping to establish themselves as stars as other players such as Mesut Özil and Thomas Müller have done before them. But who are in the next generation? Here are my picks for players who will establish themselves in Germany's premier competition.


Nils Petersen (Bayern München)

Name: Nils Petersen

D.O.B.: 06/12/1988

Age: 22

P.O.B.: Wernigerode, Germany

Position: Striker

Club: Bayern München

Nationality: Germany

Previous Clubs: Carl Zeiss Jena, Energie Cottbus

After the Kroos brothers, Nils Petersen is another young East German who, to further his career, is moving to West Germany. Petersen attracted the big West German clubs last season with his fantastic performances for Energie Cottbus in the 2. Bundesliga, where he finished top scorer with 25 goals. This great scoring record persuaded Bayern to buy him for approximately €3 million. Petersen is a tall targetman who can shrug off defenders and is comfortable in the air; his main attraction, however, is his finishing ability with two feet. His awareness and off-the-ball skills also mean that Petersen exercises his finishing ability regularly, which must please Bayern's officials.

İlkay Gündoğan (Borussia Dortmund)

Name: İlkay Gündoğan

D.O.B.: 24/10/1990

Age: 20

P.O.B.: Gelsenkirchen, Germany

Position: Central Midfielder

Club: Borussia Dortmund

Nationality: Germany

Previous Clubs: FC Nürnberg

The Gelsenkirchen native is moving back to the Ruhr district but in the kit of Borussia Dortmund, not Schalke, the club he played as a boy for. Gündoğan was bought for €4 million and is tasked with replacing the great Nuri Sahin at the Signal Iduna Park. While Gündoğan lacks the technical adroitness of Sahin, especially in the passing department, he has great positional sense and reads the game well. Gündoğan played in a more advanced role for Nürnberg, but is expected to play further back for Borussia and in his latest appearances he has adapted well. Could form a potentially devastating partnership with Mario Götze in the middle of the pitch; his work rate complementing Götze's creativity.

Son Heung-Min (Hamburg) 

Name: Son Heung-Min

D.O.B.: 08/07/1992

Age: 19

P.O.B.: Chuncheon, South Korea

Position: Striker, Winger

Club: Hamburg

Nationality: South Korea

Previous Clubs: None

The generation of South Korean children who watched their homeland finish as semi-finalists during the 2002 world cup are becoming very good footballers as they start to establish themselves. South Korea has a number of young talented players in their ranks, but none are more talented than Son Heung-Min. Quick with close ball control, Son also has a powerful shot which he is more than happy to unleash on unsuspecting goalkeepers. Son is at his best when running at players or on the turn where his pace and trickery assists him. One problem with Son, however, is his inflated belief in his own ability. Many times Son will look to score rather than pass when it is needed and looks to promote himself rather than help the team. When he starts putting his head up and working harder, then Son Heung-Min will be considered a great prospect and only then will he succeed.

Roberto Firmino (Hoffenheim)

Name: Roberto Firmino Barbosa de Oliveira

D.O.B.: 02/10/1991

Age: 19

P.O.B.: Maceio, Brazil

Position: Attacking Midfielder

Club: Hoffenheim

Nationality: Brazil

Previous Clubs: Figuierense

Even though Germans have cracked the code to making dazzling playmakers (Özil and Götze), sometimes they need to import them. And which country is better to import from than Brazil, the land of Ronaldinhos, Zicos and Kakas. There is no guarantee that Firmino would end up almost as good as this trio, but he is a very promising player and Hoffenheim should be given credit for following him in the Brazilian Serie B (although he was linked with Marseille and Manchester United before). Firmino is similar in stature to Kaka, athletic and quick, but he possesses great technique and demonstrated this against Borussia Dortmund where on the turn he smacked the cross bar of Wiedenfeller's net. One facet of his game which could be improved is his playmaking ability. Although the vision is there, Firmino he needs to improve on his passing range and accuracy. If he resolves this slight issue, he should shine in Hoffenheim's multicultural team. 

Anthony Ujah (Mainz)

Name: Anthony Ujah

D.O.B.: 20/11/1990

Age: 20

P.O.B.: Ugbokolo, Nigeria

Position: Striker

Club: Mainz

Nationality: Nigerian

Previous Clubs: Warri Wolves, Lillestrøm


Who needs Schürrle when you have Ujah? OK, Ujah hasn't yet reached cult status for Mainz, but at his previous club Lillestrøm, Ujah reached just that, becoming the bane of other Norwegian clubs. Ther reason why: 13 goals in 12 games so far in the Norwegian Tippeligaen and 27 goals in 36 games for the club. Ujah combines great pace with strength and an adeptness in the air, giving him a great physical profile for playing as a targetman or as a quick, lithe forward. Ujah can also finish well and hold up the ball, but he doesn't bring much else up, especially as his passing isn't up to scratch. Mainz though, probably won't use him as anything but a striker who brings goals, similar to Papiss Demba Cissé's role at Freiburg, but diminished in responsibility.

Transfer Round-Up: Part 2 - France

Clubs around Europe have approached the transfer market hesitantly; with the exception of Real Madrid's €20 million signing of Fábio Coentrão, most clubs have topped up on young players and back-up, replenishing their stocks. The rumours, however, have remained strong and come back incessantly, with transfers including Alexis Sánchez, Cesc Fabregas and Javier Pastore reported to feature large fees. Nevertheless, this article will only focus on the confirmed deals and will also contain my thoughts on them.
NOTE: Transfers are arranged in the country in which the player is moving to and the club they are moving to. This is Part 2 and is focused on France's transfers.

France:



AC Ajaccio:

Guillermo Ochoa: From Club América, Free
A great signing for newly-promoted Ajaccio. Guillermo Ocho may have lost his way over the past year, and the suspicions of doping did not help. Nevertheless, Ochoa remains the best goalkeeper in Mexico and a year ago he was earmarked as Van der Sar's replacement. His aerial ability will greatly strengthen Ajaccio and for free, the club must be elated with this capture. Expect Ochoa to have a solid season and possibly move to a bigger club in Europe.

Dijon:

Abdoulaye Méïté: From West Brom, Free
Méïté is an experienced defender who should strengthen Dijon's defence in their fight for survival. While he is limited in possession, Méïté is a solid defender who played well in Marseille before.

Younousse Sankharé: From Paris St. Germaine, €1m
Sankharé performed well this season for Dijon, so his signing will come as no surprise. A versatile youngster, the 21 year old can play at left-back, left midfielder and as a defensive midfielder. He is a good investment for the future for Dijon and should contribute straight away.

Evian:

Sidney Govou: From Panathinaikos, Free
Sidney Govou has not rediscovered his form for Lyon since the 2006 World Cup Final. His career stagnated towards his later years in Lyon and he has not had the same effect as his fellow countryman Djibril Cissé at Panathinaikos. One reason may be his lack of pace, which was one of the weapons he possessed in his arsenal; with age his pace has deteriorated, and his overall dribbling skills are not good enough to beat defenders. Even though he is a veteran, Govou does not add much maturity to any club he joins. He will, however, be a starter for Evian but won't light up Ligue 1 as he used to.

Jonathan Mensah: From Udinese, Free
Jonathan Mensah is best probably known by people confusing him with his compatriot and fellow centre-back, John Mensah, who is more famous and older. Jonathan Mensah is also known, however, for playing with the victorious Ghana U-20 World Cup side. Having never played for Udinese, Mensah spent this year on loan at Granada in Spain, who were promoted to La Liga. A strong centre-back, Mensah is mainly an investment for the future.

Lille:

Benoît Pedretti: From Auxerre, Free
A cultured midfielder, Pedretti, like Govou, is approaching the end of his career, so a Ligue 1 title would look appealing. Pedretti can either play behind the strikers or as a regista, in front of the defence, utilising his passing skills. He was never fast, and at 30 years old, he would be better suited to playing a deeper role.

Dimitri Payet, From Saint Etienne, €9m
Dimitri Payet and Saint Etienne stormed off at the top of the Ligue 1 table at the beginning of this year, much like Payet's quick runs down the flank. While Payet did not really carry on the momentum from his season start, he still remains an exciting player and should replace Gervinho in the Lille side. Expect Lille to space their play with Hazard and Payet on the flanks and to beat teams with their speed.

Vincent Enyeama, From Hapoel Tel-Aviv, Undisclosed (reported to be €5m)
Enyeama has finally left Israel after impressive performances for Nigeria and Hapoel. A confident goalkeeper, Enyeama will probably be back-up to Landreau, who is very injury-prone for a goalkeeper. Despite this, Enyeama would be pleased to play in France and at champions Lille.


Marko Baša: From Lokomotiv Moscow, Undisclosed (reported to be €1.5)
A solid if unspectacular centre-back, Baša should provide decent back up for Lille. Has played in France for Le Mans before so he would not need a lot of time to adapt to the French style of play.


Lorient:


Mathieu Coutadeur: From Monaco, Undisclosed (reported to be €2m)
A defensive midfielder, Coutadeur is a great passer of the ball and also has the required discipline to play that position. Lorient are trying to rebuild post-Gameiro and Coutadeur should be their starting defensive midfielder for a couple of years at least.


Marseille:


Alou Diarra: From Bordeux, Undisclosed (reported to be €5m)
While Diarra may not have the passing ability or range of Coutadeur, Diarra is a strong, physical defensive midfielder. Good in the air, Diarra has been part of the French national team since 2004, and his protection in front of the back four would help Marseille in their search for another country. Can also fill in at centre back, if Marseille were to play with a back three or need replacements.


Nicolas N'Koulou, From Monaco, €3.5
A strong, quick defender who can play at centre back or right back. A very good prospect for the future, N'Koulou won't play from the start, but expect him to be a very good player in the future and form a partnership with Azpilicueta.


Paris Saint-Germain:


Kévin Gameiro, From Lorient, €11m
He scored almost a goal-per-two-games for Lorient and will look to help Paris Saint-Germain to European qualification. A very quick striker, Gameiro is an elite finisher and is someone who you would want to finish off a chance in the penalty area. Should provide goals for PSG. Often coveted by Arsenal, Gameiro should be part of a small man - big man partnership with Hoarau. 


Nicolas Douchez, From Rennes, Free
An athletic goalkeeper, Douchez will become PSG's first choice goalkeeper and is a good signing considering the price tag (or lack of one).


Rennes:


Jonathan Pitroipa, From Hamburg, Free
A very skillful midfielder, Pitroipa can either play as a trequartista or as a winger. Should add some flair to a hard working Rennes side. Can become a bit selfish at times and needs to improve his decision making.


Sochaux:


Sébastien Corchia, From Le Mans, Undisclosed (reported to be €1.8m)
A young, attack-minded right back, Corchia is one of the best talents in France. Sochaux is a perfect match for him as the club has reared many young players, such as Jérémy Mathieu, Pierre-Alain Frau and current France international Marvin Martin. Needs to improve his positioning but this will come in time.


Toulouse:


Pavle Ninkov, From Red Star Belgrade, Undisclosed (reported to be €1m)
A solid and defensive right back who was a bright spark in a Red Star team that performed below expectations. Can be quite limited in attack, but nevertheless is enthusiastic when doing so.


Rémy Riou, From Auxerre, Free
One of France's best young goalkeepers, Riou should be Toulouse's starting goalkeepers, although Pelé will provide competition. Very composed for a 23 year old, Riou also has great reflexes.

Transfer Round-Up: Part 1 - Spain

Clubs around Europe have approached the transfer market hesitantly; with the exception of Real Madrid's €20 million signing of Fábio Coentrão, most clubs have topped up on young players and back-up, replenishing their stocks. The rumours, however, have remained strong and come back incessantly, with transfers including Alexis Sánchez, Cesc Fabregas and Javier Pastore reported to feature large fees. Nevertheless, this article will only focus on the confirmed deals and will also contain my thoughts on them. 

NOTE: Transfers are arranged in the country in which the player is moving to and the club they are moving to. This is Part 1 and is focused on Spain's transfers. Part 2 will come out soon based on France's transfers.

Spain: 

Atlético Madrid:

Sílvio Pereira: From Braga, €8m

A left back who can also cover at right back, Pereira is tidy in possession and is full of pace and enthusiasm when bombing forward and joining the attack. While he can link up with the midfield in possession, he lacks the ball control and crossing ability to be a full threat forward. A good addition, but not something that would have the Atleti fans drooling in anticipation and will probably not oust Filipe Luís from his starting position.

Miranda: From São Paulo, Free

While most signings from Brazil nowadays are hyped-up youngsters who burden the label of 'Next [insert superstar]', Miranda can be seen as a veteran, despite him being only 26. After an unsuccessful tenure in Sochaux, Miranda returned home to Brazil with São Paulo, and became the epicentre of a championship winning defence, playing at the centre of a back three. Clean in the tackle and composed, he will fight for a starting position at the Vicente Calderón.

Gabi: From Real Zaragoza, €3m

Gabi returns back to Atlético, his first club, but his role would probably be kept by Raúl García in the starting eleven.

Getafe:

Pablo Sarabia: From Real Madrid, €3m

Álvaro Negredo. Juan Manuel Mata. Roberto Soldado. These are just some of the names of Real Madrid players who moved elsewhere in Spain as young players due to a lack of playing time. Pablo Sarabia is no different. An electrifying left winger, Sarabia is the type of player who would often leave defenders on their backsides thanks to his trickery and close ball control. Like a lot of young wingers, he needs to improve his final delivery into the box, but he should prove to be a shroud signing for Getafe, who often turn the unwanted scraps that Real Madrid and other big teams don't want and turn them into great players. Luckily for Real fans, however, is that they have a buy-back clause in his contract, so like Esteban Granero before him, don't be surprised if Sarabia returns to Real Madrid after a spell at Getafe.

Málaga: 

Jérémy Toulalan: From Olympique Lyonnais, €10m

Arab-financed Málaga's largest signing, Toulalan, did not have a fantastic season. After being banned from the French national team as part of the disciplinary action against the player's strike at the World Cup and failing to drive Lyon to another league title, Toulalan is looking to reinvigorate his career in the Costa del Sol. Despite his moderately poor season, he still remains as one of the best defensive midfielders in the world, protecting the back four. Furthermore, at €10m, he is a good value signing for Málaga and will be fully involved in the club's push for Europe.

Nacho Monreal: From Osasuna, €6m

Monreal is one of the best left backs in Spain and has been a consistent performer for Osasuna. Due to him being only 25, he should feature in any future European competitions Málaga are looking to qualify for.

Isco: From Valencia, €6m

Isco was born and grew up near Málaga, so he would be right at place at home. Definitely one for the future, he will make a few appearances for Málaga, but won't be a starter and has been brought over from Valencia with the future in mind. Isco can play as an attacking midfielder or as a supporting striker and displays a great feel for the game, setting up teammates and has a great first touch. He needs to improve his decision making and is a risky signing for Málaga, but one day the fee of €6m may seem as a great bargain for Málaga. And its not like they are tight on money.

Joaquín: From Valencia, €4.2m

Another Andalusia native snapped up from Valencia, Joaquín, contrary to Isco, is a player who should be a star in the first team from the off. Joaquín, while he may not have fulfilled the promise he showed at Real Betis, is one of the best wingers in Spain and has come off a solid season for Valencia, shouldering some of the attack from the departures of David Silva and David Villa. Joaquín will probably add experience and leadership to a Málaga side which is being created.

Martín Demichelis: From Bayern Munich, €3m

Quite a fall from grace for Demichelis. One year ago Demichelis played in the Champions League Final against Inter, now after being shut out of the Bayern first team, has joined a team for €3m. Strong in the air and a fierce tackler, Demichelis is error-prone and isn't as composed as he could be. Could feature in midfield, especially as Mathijsen and Sánchez have been signed.

Sergio Sánchez: From Sevilla, €2.8m

While Demichelis is error-prone, Sánchez is injury-prone. Despite having never cemented a place in the first team in Sevilla, Sánchez could feature in the Málaga first team, whether at right back or centre back.

Joris Mathijsen: From Hamburg, €1m

A Netherlands starter for only €1m! While he only needs to contend with Heitinga as the best centre back for the Oranje, Mathijsen is a very good signing considering his cheap price tag. A solid if unspectacular season at Hamburg, Mathijsen should slot right into the heart of the Málaga defence.

Ruud van Nistelrooy: From Hamburg, Free

How Málaga's fans must be praying that van Nistelrooy rediscovers his form from his glory Manchester United days. Injuries have held him back in his career post-United, but he is still one of the cleverest foxes in the box and should lead the front line for at least a year for Málaga. 

RCD Espanyol:

Héctor Moreno: From AZ Alkmaar, €4m

Part of the Mexican 'Golden Generation', Moreno is a tough, no-frills defender. He tackles with bite and is relentless, challenging for every ball and hustling for possession, but Moreno is often lacking when he is in possession, unable to complete any difficult passes. Also , at 23, expect him to improve at Espanyol and possibly work on his distribution.

Juan Ángel Albín: From Getafe, €3m

Whether playing at left wing or as a supporting striker, Albín will provide goals and assists due to his close ball control and sweet left foot. Should feature in Espanyol's first team and will improve in a few years.

Real Madrid:

Fábio Coentrão: From Benfica, €20m

When he joined Benfica, he was a young tricky left winger, full of skill, but not good enough for the first team. Now, he leaves Benfica as one of the world's best left-backs and one of the best performers in the last world cup to Real Madrid's first team. Reinvented as a left back by Benfica due to his strength, Coentrão still retains the pace and the dribbling prowess he used to have when he played for Rio Ave. Defensively, Coentrão waits for the tackle instead of diving in and in attack he is deadly in the counter-attack, which should be great news for Mourinho's Real. 

Nuri Şahin: From Borussia Dortmund, €10m

It seems strange to consider a 22 year old as a veteran. But Şahin is that, having been present in Borussia Dortmund's first team since 2005, when he was the youngest player to play and score in the Bundesliga. The leader and focal point of the young Borussia Dortmund team which swept the Bundesliga, Şahin should play in the first team for Real Madrid due to his clever and precise distribution of the ball, ability to create chances for others and also chip in with his fair share of goals. An upgrade over Sami Khedira, Şahin at €10m is a great buy by Mourinho and the Real staff.

Raphaël Varane: From Lens, €10m

The opposite to Héctor Moreno, Varane is a cool and composed central defender who plays the game as if he is at least 10 years older than his age of 18. Varane has a great understanding of the game, reading the opponents passes and intercepting through balls. He is also comfortable in possession and should eventually develop into a ball-playing centre back. The emergence of Varane into the first team was the only bright part of Lens season which ended in relegation, but Varane will struggle to find playing time at Real Madrid and the best option for him and Real would be for him to be loaned out, possibly back to France, or to a lower La Liga side.

José María Callejón: From Espanyol, €5.5m

Spiky-haired left winger who is dangerous when being fed through by a cutting pass and given space to run in. Callejón has a dangerous left foot and can score from distance; he is also comfortable cutting onto his right foot when letting rip. Came from the Real Madrid youth team and like many others before him left before playing for the first team. Should be a solid back up for Ronaldo/di María.

Hamit Altintop: From Bayern Munich, Free

I don't understand this signing. While he was signed for free and is a very good player and leader, Altintop will never make the Real Madrid first team and Real have enough back up in midfield already.

Sevilla:

Manu del Moral: From Getafe, €3.5m

A speedy striker who can also play on the wing, Manu del Moral is a very good finisher who will contend for a starting spot in the Sevilla first team. A replacement for Luís Fabiano.

Emir Spahić: From Montpellier, €2m

Captain of Bosnia and Herzegovina, Spahić is a strong and experienced centre back who can anticipate chances for the other team. A lack of pace may hinder his starting chances for Sevilla, but he should be present in the first team. At €2m, he could be considered a bargain as only last year Montpellier were reportedly demanding £25m for him from Arsenal.

Piot Trochowski: From Hamburg, Free

Trochowski can play at left wing or behind the striker and possess impeccable technique, whether it be at passing, shooting or dribbling. A lack of pace and strength is his major weakness and he can be inconsistent at times. A good pick-up for free. 

Valencia:

Daniel Parejo: From Getafe, €6m

Another promising youngster who had to leave Real Madrid for first team football, Alfredo Di Stéfano himself expressed his disgust when Parejo left by boycotting a Castilla match. A very skillful attacking midfielder, Parejo is a person who should contribute for Valencia now and in the future. He replaces Isco, and is a better player than him, although admittedly Parejo is three years older. Has a great first touch and can create chances for others.

Pablo Piatti: From Almería, €8m

Brought in from relegated Almería, Piatti's arrival hints that Juan Manuel Mata may move away, possibly to Liverpool or Arsenal, as they both play as left wingers. An amazing dribbler, Piatti exudes Argentinian skill and poise and should be a good signing for Valencia. Still has time to improve, also.

Diego Alves: From Almería, €3m

One of the best goalkeepers in Spain and has been linked with Real Madrid in the past. A good shot-stopper, Diego Alves is also a good penalty saver. Will probably be in the first team, he could be the best goalkeeper for Valencia since Santiago Cañizares, and all for €3m.

Villareal:

Cristián Zapata: From Udinese, €7m

Zapata is a quick and strong centre back currently representing Colombia in the  Copa América. Strong in the air, Zapata can also read the through balls well. He often joins attacks from the centre of defence and is effective due to his pace, but he needs to improve his passing and dribbling ability to be as effective as Lúcio.