Top 5 prospects of Spanish football

Asier Illarramendi (Real Sociedad, 23)

Background Illarramendi is a product of the fruitful Real Sociedad youth system which powered the club’s fourth place finish in La Liga last season.

Position Central/deep midfield. He’s a pure deep lying passer.

Strengths Illarramendi’s passing accuracy and range are as good as any of the top players in his position. He is just as comfortable passing sideways over 5 yards as pinging diagonally 60 yards. It’s a very rare talent but he has it in abundance. He is a pure technician whose ball striking is genuinely elite level already. Always in space to receive the ball and move it on quickly and also a rugged and canny defensive presence.

Weaknesses Not especially quick and doesn’t have a record of scoring and making goals yet.

The next Xabi Alonso. Not just because Alonso is ex-Sociedad but they are pretty much the same player. Illarramendi even runs like Alonso and does the little hop after making a pass. Both have the most dramatic passing range.