LaLiga EA Sports kick off on Friday and, as is the case every season, it does so with many new faces in the 20 teams of the competition.
Many of the new arrivals have been talked about throughout the summer and great things are expected of them, but there are other signings who have perhaps gone a little more under the radar yet they could also be great additions for the clubs.
Whether because of their promising futures or the fact they’re returning to Spain’s top division after playing abroad, these five signings are creating a buzz ahead of the new campaign.
Pablo Torre: FC Barcelona to Girona FC
After dazzling at Real Racing Club de Santander, Pablo Torre signed for FC Barcelona but didn’t have an easy first season at the Catalan club. Now, he is taking the tried and tested road of leaving the club on loan for one season in search of minutes and the chance to show his quality.
He’ll look to do this at Girona FC, where he’ll find a coach, in Míchel, who loves good football and players with the quality that the Cantabrian possesses.
“I really like Girona FC’s style of play and I think this year can help me to grow as a footballer, that’s why I wanted to come here,” the player stated at his presentation.
Jonathan Bamba: Lille to RC Celta
Luis Campos, a connoisseur of French football, has brought to Vigo one of the top performers in the Lille side that miraculously won Ligue 1 two seasons ago: Jonathan Bamba.
“There were many offers, but Luis Campos was key in convincing me to come to RC Celta, as he told me a lot about the club and its surroundings,” said the player.
The left winger will be a great addition to Rafa Benítez’s new project in Vigo, in what is a special year due to the club’s centenary celebrations.
Ben Brereton Díaz: Blackburn Rovers to Villarreal CF
Not only has Quique Setién gained a proven goalscorer, but this is a player who also has a great personal story behind him.
Born in England to an English father and Chilean mother, Brereton Díaz played in the youth set-up of England until Chile learned about him and convinced him to represent his mother’s country.
Since then, he has made progress with the Spanish language, has incorporated his mother’s surname onto the back of his shirt and now he arrives at the Estadio de la Cerámica ready to make a name for himself in Spanish football.
Marc Roca: Leeds United to Real Betis
Marc Roca’s foreign adventure may not have gone as well as he had hoped. After leaving RCD Espanyol for Bayern Munich and not playing too many games for the German club, the midfielder departed for Leeds United to get back to his best and now he has returned to Spain to join Real Betis.
They hope that the promising player who was once so marvellous for RCD Espanyol will be one of the key cogs in Manuel Pellegrini’s system.
Alejandro Catena: Rayo Vallecano to CA Osasuna
It is difficult for Alejandro Catena to go unnoticed, given his height of 194 centimetres and given his immediate impact upon arrival at CA Osasuna.
In a pre-season friendly against Real Sociedad, the centre-back scored a hat-trick in the first half of the game, making his height and superior aerial ability count.
After several seasons of being Rayo Vallecano’s defensive leader, he’ll now wear the red of CA Osasuna and play in Europe with the Navarre side, while he’ll surely continue to stand out as one of the most impressive defenders.
