5 of the best players in La Liga this season

#3 Rodrigo “Rodri” Hernández (Villarreal and Spain)

Rodri (in yellow) has been the standout defensive midfielder this season in the entire league

When everyone is raving about a player in his first full season and describing a 21-year-old as the future replacement for Sergio Busquets in the Spanish national set-up, it goes without saying that there is something special about the said player.

Such has been the season that the 21-year-old Rodri has been having that El Submarino Amarillo (The Yellow Submarine) as Villarreal are known have already agreed a €20m deal for the player to join Diego Simeone at Atletico Madrid (the club whose youth system he came through).

He has been the outstanding player in a youthful Villarreal side whose pre-season promise was almost shattered by former manager’s Fran Escriba’s incompetence.

The arrival of former player Javier Calleja as the new manager transformed the Estadio de la Cerámica side and Rodri alongside with it.

Playing in a defensive midfield position, the youngster has averaged an astounding tackle rate of 2.7 per game in La Liga while also making 1.6 interceptions and 2.8 clearances.

He has been the glue that has held the midfield together as his intelligent defending coupled with his passing ability and ball shielding skills have meant that fellow Spaniards Pablo Fornals and Manu Trigueros who has played alongside him at the base of the midfield is often able to drive forward to join the attack.

Having gotten his first La Furia Roja call-up for the 6-1 mauling of Argentina a few weeks ago, it will be surprising if the youngster makes the squad for Russia 2018 but if he does, it will be totally on merit given the exceptional season he is having.