5 players in the La Liga who could soon join Real Madrid/Atletico Madrid/Barcelona
While Real Madrid, Barcelona and Atletico Madrid fight for the right of the Spanish footballing crown, their inability to continuously fight Premier League clubs for players is evident ever since the new TV deal kicked in for the British teams.
One way to ensure they have the best talents is to buy within the league. A host of other La Liga stars are competent and talented enough to play for the likes of Real Madrid, their cross-city rivals Atletico Madrid and Barcelona.
Barcelona’s pursuit of Ivan Rakitic was one of the best examples in recent years. The Croat joined from Sevilla and has since grown into one of the best midfielders in the world alongside Andres Iniesta and Sergio Busquets.
We look at five players from the La Liga who could join one of the three big clubs:
#5 Sergio Rico – Sevilla
Widely considered one of the best young keepers coming through in the game, Sevilla’s Sergio Rico is constantly linked with a move to a host of big European clubs but given Real Madrid and Barcelona are both dissatisfied with their current keepers, a move could be likely.
The 23-year-old has kept 9 clean sheets in all competitions for Sevilla this season. His tall frame and agility off the line is hugely beneficial for Jorge Sampaoli’s men but what separates Sergio Rico from a host of other goalkeepers is his decision making.
He knows when to run out and collect the ball, and when to stay back and hold the fort. He’s got the right response to deal with both kinds of situations and should Real Madrid and Barcelona fail to strike a deal with either David de Gea or Thibaut Courtois from the Premier League, they’ll surely turn to Rico to ensure they have a quality young keeper at the base of their defence.