5 La Liga-based talents that Luis Enrique might be keeping an eye on

The summer of 2018 has been an eventful one for La Furia Roja. The team under current Real Madrid manager Julen Lopetegui had gone into the FIFA World Cup, i.e Russia 2018, as favourites, following a flawless qualification campaign.

However, Lopetegui's failure to inform the Spanish Football Federation (RFEF) before accepting the offer from Florentino Perez saw him sacked 2 days before the team's first game.

Fernando Hierro was appointed in his stead but the former Real Madrid legend was clearly unfit for the job as Spain was knocked out in the 2nd round.

The appointment of Luis Enrique as the new manager and the wave of retirements by some of the team's top players; Andres Iniesta, Gerard Pique and David Silva means that there is space for new blood in the team.

With the 2018/2019 La Liga football season already underway, the former Barca manager will be eying up the Spanish players with a view to adding their talent to the new-look La Furia Roja team.

Here is a look at 5 La Liga-based talents that could catch the coach's eye:

Note: Some of these players have already played for Spain before but are not regulars.

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#5 Unai Nunez (Athletic Bilbao)

Nunez has been impressive since making his debut last season

One of the highly rated youngsters coming out of the stables at Athletic Bilbao, young Nunez has been spoken of in glowing terms. The youngster made his first appearance for the Basque team just last season but went on to play 33 games for Los Leones (The Lions) as Athletic Club are popularly known.

The 21-year-old was able to get many games due to Yeray's cancer treatment and Aymeric Laporte's move to Manchester City in January.

Nunez's style of play is more aligned with the cultured style of players like Pique. This would be something that interests Enrique as it would mean an almost seamless transition for the defence from the Sergio Ramos/Pique partnership to one that is more nuanced.

A calm and assured player for one so young, Nunez isn't the tallest centre-back in the world (something he has in common with team captain Sergio Ramos). However, he makes up for the lack of height with a leap and aerial ability that allow him to compete with taller strikers.

He may start on Monday in Athletic's opening 2018/2019 La Liga game against Leganes and the Spanish national coaching setup will be paying attention.

#4 Jose Gaya (Valencia)

Gaya is ready to step up and compete for the left-back position

The 23-year-old seems to have been around forever. The baby-faced graduate of the same Valencia academy that has produced Juan Bernat and refined Jordi Alba will look to emulate the Barcelona star and become a La Roja regular under the former Barca manager.

The left-back has played for all of the national age-group teams (U-16 to U-21) and has reached a level where he can contribute to the national side as well. Gaya has been a fixture for Los Che for a while now and has continued to improve from season to season.

He is pacy which means he can bomb down the flanks and deliver in teasing crosses, while he is no slouch at tackling and being disciplined in defence either.

With Nacho Monreal not getting any younger and Marcos Alonso clearly unfit to play in a 4-man back line due to his lack of pace, Gaya is clearly the best option to compete with Alba for the national team's left-back position.

#3 Gerard Moreno (Villarreal)

Moreno will fancy his chances of making his debut under Enrique

Quite how the former Espanyol striker has not gotten a call-up remains a mystery. One of the most consistent Spanish goalscorers in the league, the 26-year old left-footer has been something of an enigma.

The Santa Perpètua-born striker started out from the Villareal academy and has played for the club for 3 seasons netting ten times in 40 La Liga games. He was subsequently sold to Espanyol where he improved upon his abilities and became a better player.

A left-footed striker who can often be found dropping deep to get involved in the build-up, Gerard is a player who is very confident when he has the ball. While he does not have the pace of some modern strikers, he likes harrying defenders, never given them a moment's rest.

The striker has never played for Spain at any level before but a return to Villarreal for £18m this summer is an ideal move for the player to get himself into Enrique's plans. Gerard would be competing with fellow left-footers; Rodrigo (Valencia) and Iago Aspas (Celta Vigo), but if he can deliver for Villarreal (He scored the team's only goal in the 2-1 opening game loss to Real Sociedad), he will be definitely in with a shot of making the La Roja team.

#2 Mikel Oyarzabal (Real Sociedad)

Oyarzabal (left) could be the replacement for David Silva

A left-footed star, Oyarzabal's style to play reminds people of former Spanish international Pedro Munitis. A very pacy winger, he has come on in leaps and bounds since making his debut for La Real in September 2015 and it seems a question of WHEN and not IF the Real Sociedad star will make his return to the national fold.

For a 21-year-old, his understanding of the game is quite impressive. This awareness of everything that is going on around has helped the player make smart decisions in what to do and how to implement it. Nominally a winger, it is not unusual to see him drift infield either in support of the striker(s) or to seek out goal-scoring opportunities for himself.

Among the youngster's greatest strengths is his exceptional crossing ability, which saw him claim seven assists in La Liga last season. Given his style of play, Oyarzabal could play the same role that David Silva has been playing for the national team given the similarities in style.

His only previous rodeo with La Roja was when he made his debut against Switzerland in 2016. With Enrique expected to make the Spanish team play faster and quicker than they had been playing under previous managers, it seems perfectly set-up for the winger to stake a claim.

#1 Pablo Fornals (Villarreal)

Fornals (right) should return to the national fold soon

It says a lot for the Spanish national team's midfield that a talented player like Fornals was not even considered for the World Cup in Russia. Like Oyarzabal, he made his debut in 2016 against Switzerland in a friendly.

The 22-year-old has looked like he belongs on the biggest of stages since he made his La Liga debut for Malaga at the age of 19 in a match against Real Madrid in 2015.

Capable of playing as a central midfielder or further up the pitch as an attacking midfielder, the Spanish starlet has been churning out great performances at the Estadio de la Ceramica following his £10.80m move to the club last season.

He was a joy to behold last season as he got 4 goals and 13 assists in 36 La Liga games. His dribbling, passing, movement, ability to dictate play and work rate make him a very obvious fit for a coach like Luis Enrique who usually has makes huge demands of his midfield players

The player Fornals has been most compared to is Isco, and the Real Madrid's and Spain's golden boy will be looking over his shoulders.