Top 5 best La Liga youngsters this season

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The journey between the Premier League and La Primera in Spain is now a well-trodden one, with the money available in England a frequent temptation for players in Spain to jump ship.

When once it was believed that the styles of football were too different for a player to make an immediate impact, Spain is often the first port of call now for Premier League clubs looking to strengthen, with mixed fortunes from player to player.

No longer is there a worry whether players can adapt, with players of any age now trusted to make the switch to England without any fears as to whether they can be effective.

So many teams look towards the long-term, so youth is often a bonus when teams contemplate their purchases – so using the Squawka Performance Score, we have put together a top five players under the age of 23, based on their displays in La Liga this season.

5.) Mateo Musacchio (Villarreal)

Linked with a move to England, with Manchester United and Liverpool both reportedly keen on the Argentine international, Musacchio has emerged as one of the most accomplished defenders in Spain currently.

Musacchio has been a key figure in Villarreal’s remarkable rise from La Segunda to an instant return to European football in their first season back in the top-flight, with his one goal of the season coming at the Nou Camp to boot.

Musacchio has won 57 tackles this season, at a success rate of 51%, while he has emerged victorious in 62 aerial duels as well, providing a fine rock in the centre of Los Submarinos Amarillos defence.

Musacchio’s 32 league appearances have seen him also complete a massive 108 interceptions as well, displaying his fantastic reading of the game, while he has added 205 clearances to prove himself one of the most important players in La Liga currently.

4.) Neymar (Barcelona)

It’s been a difficult first season for Neymar at Barcelona, with issues regarding his transfer from Santos and a failure to truly dovetail with Lionel Messi hampering his settling in to life in Europe.

With Messi preferring to play the central role that Neymar is more comfortable in, the Brazilian has often found himself shunted out into a wider position and it was Zlatan Ibrahimovic’s downfall at Barca that he failed to adjust to playing second fiddle to the mercurial Argentinean forward.

However, given it was his first season in such a position, Neymar has done adequately enough at Camp Nou, scoring nine goals and claiming eight assists from the 41 chances he has created for teammates in just 26 appearances.

Neymar has also been the take-on king for Barca this season, completing 78 take-ons and winning 77 fouls from opponents and one imagines that he will only get better following a season to bed in next year.

3.) Rafinha (Celta Vigo)

Still officially a Barcelona player, it has been a breakthrough season for Rafinha, the younger brother of Thiago Alcantara, as a loan spell with Celta Vigo has proven a huge success.

With Celta manager and Barca legend Luis Enrique reportedly set to take over from Gerardo Martino over the course of the summer, Rafinha is expected to take his place in the Barcelona squad for next season, while the Catalan club have suggested a loan move to a Champions League club could still happen.

Rafinha netted four times as Celta successfully avoided relegation comfortably and claimed five assists from 52 chances created , while his pace down the flanks was a constant source of concern for defences all around Spain.

Rafinha was fouled a massive 111 times in 32 appearances for the Galacian club, while he completed 76 take-ons himself, with his 59% success rate being even better than Neymar’s. He’s quite the prospect and still only 21 years of age.

2.) Antoine Griezmann (Real Sociedad)

There is set to be an almighty scramble for Griezmann’s signature this summer with the Frenchman having suggested that he needs a bigger stage to showcase his talents and for good reason. The likes of Arsenal and Liverpool have been linked with him.

Still aged just 23, Griezmann has now completed a third extraordinary season for Sociedad and emerged as one of the hottest prospects in Europe currently and has all the tools available to go on and become a major force at any club in the world.

As an attacking midfield/auxiliary forward, Griezmann is currently one of the best, netting 16 goals for Sociedad this season, converting 18% of his shots on goal.

He has at least hit the target with 60% of his shots and created a further 34 chances to claim three further assists and any team would be wise to snap him up if he pushes for a move away from Anoeta this summer.

1.) Isco (Real Madrid)

Some have suggested Isco has not exactly lived up to expectations in his first season at Real Madrid, but after a slow start to life in the capital, Isco has grown in stature and started to really display his class.

It may not have been enough to get him a place in Spain’s World Cup squad, but Isco has eventually grown accustomed to the pressures of life at one of the greatest clubs in the world.

Isco has netted eight times for Real in 23 starts for the club, converting 28.6% of his shots on goal, but it is his creative side that has really come to the fore this season.

The 22-year-old has created a massive 70 chances this season to claim six assists, while he has completed a fantastic 69 take-ons for Los Blancos to establish himself more than capable of being a major player for any side in the world.