We’re on the eve of a new La Liga season, so naturally we’re all excited about watching the exploits of Lamine Yamal, Raphinha, Julian Alvarez, Kylien Mbappe, Nico Williams and other stars. But the sharpest La Liga watchers also have their eyes on the players who have come into the league or moved teams. More often than not, these are the guys who are going to make the difference between good and great for their clubs in 2025-26.
So without further ado, here are the top 10 most intriguing player moves to keep your eye on going into the new campaign.
10. Ilaix Moriba: RB Leipzig to Celta Vigo (€6 million)
Does Moriba’s name ring a bell? At one time, the native of Guinea was considered one of the best young central midfielders in the world. Playing in Barcelona’s youth program at age 15, he scored a hat trick against Real Madrid’s U19 squad in 2018. But that’s been the highlight of his career so far.
Three years later, he was sold to RB Leipzig for €17 million. After playing only 32 minutes there, he was loaned out to Valencia (twice), then Getafe and finally Celta Vigo – who made their loan deal permanent in July.
Can Moriba, who is still only 22, turn around his fortunes in Galicia? He has his work cut out for him. In 99 La Liga matches, he has just two goal and eight assists – to go along with 23 yellow cards. If Moriba can somehow find some discipline and rediscover even a smidge of his playmaking skills, he could help the team improve on its outstanding seventh place finish last season.
9. Joan Garcia: Espanyol to Barcelona (€25 million)
It’s not often a backup goalkeeper makes a list of most intriguing players. But it’s not often a player like Garcia comes along.
For now, the 24-year old has been brought in to compete with Wojciech Szczesny for the starting role. Szczesny came out of retirement in September 2024 when Barcelona’s first-choice keeper was injured. All he did was help the club win the Spanish treble.
But Szczesny also just turned 35, so Barca are thinking Garcia, a former Blaugrana academy player, could be their keeper for the next decade or so. Last season, he led La Liga in saves, goals prevented and most punches, while helping Barca’s intracity rival Espanyol avoid relegation.
8. Robert Navarro: Mallorca to Athletic Bilbao (free transfer)
The most fascinating protagonist in this move isn’t Navarro himself. It’s actually his mega teammate, Nico Williams. Athletic Club pursued Navarro out of concern they would lose Williams to a bigger club on the eve of their first Champions League campaign in 11 years.
But recently Williams, 23, rejected massive suitors such as Barcelona and signed a new 10-year contract with Athletic Club. Now manager Ernesto Valverde needs to figure out how to pair these two young playmakers to devastating effect.
Navarro, 22, can play the ball with both feet on either wing or in a central position. He hasn’t scored many goals in recent years, but part of that comes down to bad luck. In each of the past two seasons, his xG per 90 minutes has been exactly double his goals per 90 minutes. Here’s betting Williams will be his good luck charm this season.
7. Pablo Torre: Barcelona to Mallorca (€5 million)
Torre was the right man at the wrong time in Barcelona. The 22-year-old Spaniard is an immensely talented attacking midfielder. But Barca’s midfield is stacked, and he never seemed to fit into Hansi Flick’s plans.
He was on loan at Girona in 2023-24, then returned to Barca last season – only to appear in just 10 matches. Torre has made his frustrations clear over the past year. The situation became so absurd for him that during one match, Flick told Gavi to come on as a substitute. But Gavi asked Flick to .
As a member of Spain’s U21 team, Torre desperately needs first-team minutes. At Mallorca, he’s sure to get them.
6. Alex Baena: Villarreal to Atlético Madrid (€45 million)
Baena has been one of the most exciting midfielders in La Liga the past two seasons. He will immediately boost Atletico’s chances of breaking the Barca-Real Madrid stranglehold on the league title. For those of you keeping track, the Blaugrana and Los Blancos have won 22 out of the last 25 La Liga crowns. The only team other than them to win it? Atletico.
Baena, a 23-year-old Spain international, scored nine goals and delivered 23 assists in the past two seasons for Villareal. Last season, he finished fourth in the league in shot-creating actions per 90 behind three nobodies named Isco, Luka Modric and Lamine Yamal. Two seasons ago, he ranked sixth in this stat.
Besides his obvious playmaking abilities, Baena can play in a central midfield position or out wide. He’s also adept at free kicks and corners. Now we’ll see how he performs under the bright spotlight of playing for one of Europe’s biggest clubs.
5. Johnny Cardoso: Real Betis to Atlético Madrid (€24 million)
We admit we’re a bit biased by Cardoso’s roots in the USA, but we just had to point out that this move to Atletico makes him one of the highest-profile Americans playing in Europe.
Cardoso broke out for Betis last season. Playing as a defensive midfielder, he was tops on the team with an average of 2.1 interceptions per 90 minutes. He ranked second in La Liga for defensive interventions per 90 (15.7) and was among the top six DMFs in the league for winning aerials, winning ground duels and successful tackle percentage. He also completed 85% of his passes.
He helped Betis finish sixth in the league and make it all the way to the Conference League final. Now the 23-year old from New Jersey has the opportunity to train alongside some of the best players in Europe as he prepares to help the U.S. Men’s National Team shine on their home turf in the 2026 World Cup.
4. Marcus Rashford: Manchester United to Barcelona (loan with €30 million option to buy)
We’re still not sure what Man United did to break Marcus Rashford’s spirit. But we’re all in on his career resurrection at Barcelona.
By now, the story is well known. He joined United’s youth system at age seven. He scored two goals in both his Premier League debut and his European bow. Three seasons ago, he scored 30 times in all competitions. Along the way, he became a true mensch. He championed social justice and started both a kids’ reading club and a child poverty task force.
But the past two seasons turned into a ride on the struggle bus for him. In 48 matches, he managed just nine goals from open play plus three assists. His form improved after United loaned him to Aston Villa late last season. So when the low-risk, high-reward gamble with Barca was announced recently, everyone in the soccer world was buzzing.
Rashford featured off the bench in all three of the club’s preseason matches, scoring his first goal for the Blaugrana in a 5-0 rout of Daegu. When league play starts, it seems he will back up Raphinha on the left wing as part of what appears to be a potentially mindblowing Barca attack. According to media reports, he’s also impressed the club with his selfless attitude and willingness to do whatever is needed to help Barca win.
3. Alvaro Carreras: Benfica to Real Madrid (€50 million)
Carreras is one of three new Real Madrid defenders to make our list. In one of the most intriguing projects in all of European soccer, Los Blancos are rebuilding their defense under new manager Xabi Alonso.
Last season saw major injuries befall Antonio Rudiger, Ferland Mendy, David Alaba, Dani Carvajal and Eder Militao. Madrid must get younger and find players to fit Alonso’s vision of defenders who can play the ball and be more adaptable overall.
Carreras will be a vitally important cog in this new machine. The 22-year old arrives from Portugal as one of the more promising left-backs in the game today. Among defenders, he ranks in the 89th percentile or better in passes attempted, progressive carries, progressive passes and progressive passes received. He also ranks in the 82nd percentile or better in shot-creating actions and non-penalty goals per 90.
Move over Mendy. Carreras has arrived.
2. Dean Huijsen: Bournemouth to Real Madrid (€62.5 million)
It’s the stuff of legend that only modern European soccer can produce. Just a year ago, Bournemouth acquired Huijsen from Juventus for roughly €15 million.
Fast forward 12 months, and Madrid have made him the most expensive defender in club history by paying Bournemouth nearly €63 million for the 20-year old. It’s either a savvy move to lock up a young, galacticos-level center-back for years; or it’s a sign that Madrid is taking a huge risk on Huijsen based on watching him play fulltime for just one season.
Granted, it was an excellent season. With Bournemouth, the Dutchman (who plays for Spain’s national team) was the best defender in the Premier League according to a stat that combines clearances, blocks, interceptions and/or tackles . He used all of his 6’6” frame to win 61% of his aerial duels.
He’s also no slouch on the attacking end of the pitch. Among center-backs, he ranked in the 92nd percentile in non-penalty goals and in the 88th percentile in assists. His 1.59 shot-creating actions per 90 landed him in the 94th percentile.
1. Trent Alexander‑Arnold: Liverpool to Real Madrid (€10 million)
Shockwaves are still being felt across England since TAA’s seismic move south from Liverpool. One of the most feared fullbacks in the game at a relatively young 26, he became a true talisman at Anfield since joining LFC’s youth program at age six.
With the Reds, he won no less than nine trophies while revolutionizing his position. On paper, he was slotted at right back. But he often played in an inverted role, acting more like a fluid midfielder than a defender. He took to it like a punter to a pint. For every 90 minutes played, he averaged 4.2 shot-creating actions; 7.6 passes into the final third; 0.22 assists; and 9.8 progressive passes.
Liverpool were unable to lure him into a new contract, with Real Madrid essentially adding him for free. They paid the Reds €10 million as an early release fee so he could join Los Blancos in the Club World Cup.
As fantastic as he’s performed at Liverpool, his move to Madrid is not without drama and suspense. He’ll have to adjust from Arne Slot’s system that employed four defenders to Xabi Alonso’s tactics that usually use three defenders – with all the new responsibilities thereof. But TAA has succeeded at every level, and his penchant for attacking play should fit well with Madrid’s philosophy.