The new season of La Liga is set to begin with high anticipation and promise. The league has a history of signing many household names in football and this season’s transfer window was no different with many new faces set to light up the competition with their presence.
The new faces come with their own dreams and ambitions and want to write their name among the greats of the competition. Today let us take a look at 5 new La Liga players to watch out for.
5. Álvaro Djaló
Álvaro Djaló is a 24-year-old Spanish midfielder who made his name in Portugal. He rose through the ranks of Braga’s youth team catching the attention of everyone with his dribbling, speed, and ability to constantly find the back of the end. Djaló continued his form in the senior team scoring 22 goals in 88 appearances from midfield over two seasons for Braga.
Catching the eye of some big clubs across Europe, it was Athletic Club who secured his services this window for a fee of €15 million. Djaló’s move to La Liga is a huge step up in his career and he will be eager to impress the San Memes faithful with his flair, speed, and goal-scoring ability.
4. Donny Van Beek
Donny Van Beek made a name for himself at Ajax where he burst onto the scene as a youngster. The midfielder was well known for his precise passing and decision-making on the pitch and was an integral part of the Ajax team which made a dream run to the semi-final of the Champions League. However, his career took a downward turn after moving to Manchester United. The midfielder struggled for regular game time and was eventually loaned out to Everton and Frankfurt.
Van Beek has now made a switch to La Liga and joined Girona until the end of the 2027-28 season. The Dutchman will be hopeful he can rejuvenate his career in La Liga and regain the form of his Ajax days. The move also makes sense given that La Liga football is generally based on tactical play as compared to the fast-paced Premier League.
3. Julian Alvarez
At the age of 24, Julian Alvarez has already become one of the most decorated footballers in the current era having won the Argentine Primera División, Copa Argentina, Supercopa Argentina, Trofeo de Campeones, Copa Libertadores and Recopa Sudamericana with River Plate; Premier League (2 times), FA Cup, UEFA Champions League, FIFA Club World Cup, and UEFA Super Cup with Manchester City; and FIFA World Cup, Copa América (2 times) and the CONMEBOL–UEFA Cup of Champions with Argentina National Team.
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The Argentine is now looking for the next challenge in his already illustrious career and has joined Atletico Madrid for a fee worth up to €95million. Alvarez will be a good fit in Simeone’s system given his high-pressing game and ability to play in different attacking roles. Alvarez is also expected to be one of the regular starters for Atletico, which is something the 24-year-old did not have the luxury of at Manchester City due to the presence of Erling Haaland.
2. Dani Olmo
Dani Olmo is a product of Barcelona La Masia academy. Known as one of the brightest prospects of the academy, Olmo switched to Croatia and joined Dynamo Zagreb in search of senior team football. The move paid off well for the Spaniard and he became one of the regular starters for the club. After spending 6 seasons in Croatia, Olmo took the next step of his career and joined RB Leipzig. He impressed in Germany helping Leipzig to qualify for Champions League football regularly.
Being an academy graduate, Olmo was always on the radar of Barcelona and his case for Camp Nou return was catalyzed by his performance in the Euro 2024. He was one of the ever-present in Spain’s title-winning campaign and finished as the joint-top scorer in the tournament. The 26-year-old was also named in the UEFA European Championship Team of the Tournament.
In the ongoing summer transfer window, Barcelona finally completed the homecoming of Olmo for a reported fee of €60million. With this move, Olmo will have a role in returning Barcelona to the summit of European football and cement his legacy at the Camp Nou.
1. Kylian Mbappe
Kylian Mbappé finally made his dream move to Real Madrid following his departure from Paris Saint Germain. The Frenchman signed as a free agent following the expiry of his PSG contract agreeing to a five-year deal that would keep him at the club until 2029. Mbappé is already viewed as the new face of Real Madrid, which is something Los Blancos have been searching for since the post-Ronaldo era.
Mbappe would have a chance to win silverware with Real Madrid as early as August when they play UEFA Europa League winners Atalanta in the UEFA Super Cup at the Stadion Narodowy in Warsaw, Poland on 14 August 2024. The 25-year-old will be hopeful of starting the new chapter of his life by defending the La Liga and Champions League crown with Real Madrid.
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Mohd Faisal Hakak is a sports author from Kashmir. He likes to keep tabs on the sporting world with a keen interest in football, motorsports, NBA, and other marquee sports. He is a science graduate from Islamia College Srinagar.
