3 La Liga players Premier League sides should consider | OneFootball

The likes of Lamine Yamal and Kylian Mbappe get all the headlines, it’s a pretty good metaphor for the state of La Liga outside of Real Madrid and Barcelona, but that doesn’t mean there isn’t plenty of talent over in Spain.

It’s that time of year again, the rumours are circling, and agents are glued to their phones. Trent Alexander-Arnold has already broken the hearts of Liverpool fans by joining Real Madrid; there will likely be a few moves going the opposite way, too.

Here are three players we believe could make the move from Spain to England this summer, along with where they might fit in.

Alex Baena

Incredibly versatile, capable of playing anywhere from a striker to a defensive midfielder, the Villareal ace was fantastic for Marcelino Garcia’s side as they secured qualification for next season’s Champions League with a fifth-place finish.

He’s not prolific, but that could be due to the fact that his manager had to shuffle him around the pitch. His 16 goal contributions in 2024-25 is considerably lower than the 22 he managed in the previous season, just don’t use that as a stick to beat him with.

Baena, 23, has a move to Aston Villa written all over him, should he decide to leave. There are connections there, Unai Emery and Pau Torres both had spells with Villareal, and the two clubs’ names are even similar. Now that Marcus Rashford and Marco Asensio have left, he could finally nail down a position.

Ferran Torres

Torres knows exactly what the Premier League is like, spending two years with Manchester City before leaving to join Barcelona back in January 2022. Now 25 years old, he is yet to truly nail down a spot at the club, and the emergence of Lamine Yamal hasn’t done him any favours.

Like every Barcelona forward last season, he had a good time in front of goal, scoring 19 goals and providing seven assists in his 45 games across all competitions. Winning a domestic treble would have also left a pretty good taste in his mouth.

He’s at a crossroads, however. He has the ability to be a star player, but it’s just unlikely to happen at Barcelona. Spanish outlet El Nacional has linked him with Newcastle, Villa, and Tottenham, and we believe a move to Eddie Howe’s side would really give him the chance to be that main man.

Andrei Ratiu

It’s been quite the season for Ratiu, 26, and his club, Rayo Vallecano. Three wins and two draws in their last five La Liga games earned them a place in next season’s Europa Conference League when they looked down and out for quite some time.

In a rollercoaster season, the Romanian right-back was consistent. Defensively competent but capable of providing an attacking threat, Barcelona are reportedly said to be interested in adding him as a squad option.

When it comes to the Premier League, the Daily Mail has linked him with a move to one of Man City or Liverpool. We think that might be a step too far, and a move to Nottingham Forest would be a better option, especially with the uncertainty surrounding Ola Aina’s future.

Get Football | Alex Roberts