5 Spanish players who may play key roles under Julen Lopetegui at Real Madrid

#3 Dani Ceballos

Ceballos' underuse by Zidane shocked a lot of fans

One of the more mystifying things about Real Madrid under in Zidane's last season was the fact that a player as talented as Ceballos played as little as he did.

A majestic dribbler capable of carrying the ball forward and knitting attacks together with his very accurate passing; it was thought that he would become a favourite of the bald Frenchman following his £14.5million move from Real Betis last season.

His stellar display at the European U-21 Championship last year where he was voted the MVP increased anticipation among Madridistas who were eager to see the havoc he would wreck alongside the magical Luka Modric and Toni Kroos.

This never materialized as he was criminally underused by Zidane even when it had become obvious that Modric and Isco were in need of a breather/underperforming. This underuse led to rumours that the 22-year-old would be on the move.

However, Lopetegui is said to have put paid to all speculation as he has reportedly stated that the enigmatic midfielder will play a huge role in his team next season.

With Mateo Kovacic looking set to leave in search of first-team football, Ceballos will move up the pecking ladder in Madrid’s very stacked midfield and he looks exactly like the kind of player that Lopetegui likes; a talented skilful player with a hint of devilry and a good team ethos.