Looking for a winter bargain, in the mould of free-scoring Michu? Spain's the place to go for these 10 January super sales
After the glorious success of Michu at Swansea, last week Martin Keown wrote that English clubs would be heading to Spain in search of more bargains.
Whether you are trying to escape the drop, force your way into the Europa League or make the top four, every club's chances can be improved by a dip into the January sales.
And with Swansea showing there is ridiculous value available, Sportsmail sent our Spanish scout Pete Jenson to uncover a best 10 winter transfer window signings from La Liga.
Leo Baptistao
Michu was always going to be a hard act to follow but Rayo Vallecano have unearthed another gem to take his place.
Lanky Brazilian attacking midfielder Leo Baptistao is only 20 but with six goals and four assists in the first 13 games of the season he looks an even greater prospect than the man he has replaced and Rayo's financial plight means he only has a deal until the end of the season.
Position: Attacking midfield
Level: Europa League
Price in January: 3m-5m
Iago Aspas
Iago Aspas has been running defences ragged all season and with six goals the Celta Vigo forward is attracting attention from La Liga’s biggest clubs and beyond.
The 25-year-old wide attacker got 15 goals in his team's promotion to the top flight last season and has taken that form into this season.
Offers pace, direct running and a goal threat.
Position: Wide Forward
Level: Staying up - Europa League
Price in January: 3m-5m
Isco
Isco's Champions League performances have left watching scouts in no doubt that he has what it takes to follow David Silva, Juan Mata and Santi Cazorla to England should Malaga’s owners decide to sell.
The 20 year-old has a 21m buyout clause on a contract that runs out in 2016. Supporters are desperate not to see him follow Cazorla out the door in January.
Position: Attacking midfield
Level: Champions League
Price in January: 15m-18m
Oscar
The highest scoring midfielder in Spain is Valladolid's Oscar who has seven goals – two more than Cesc Fabregas.
He also six assists to his name and playing off the shoulder of Valladolid's former Manchester United forward Manucho he has helped Valladolid become the league’s fifth highest scorers. His deal runs out at the end of this season and he has a 6m euros buyout clause.
Position: Attacking midfield
Level: Staying up
Price in January: 3m
Guilherme Siqueira
Brazilian left-back Guilherme Siqueira went to Italy as youngster but never quite made the grade at Inter and Lazio, now 26 he has found a home at the 'economically-challenged' Granada and has matured into a solid European defender who retains the South American flair going forward.
He has outgrown in surroundings and Granada would have to sell if the price was right.
Position: Left Back
Level: Staying up
Price in January: 3m
Alvaro Vadillo
At only 18 Betis winger Alvaro Vadillo is one of La Liga's best hidden talents. Coach Pepe Mel has so much faith in him that he played him last season against Real Madrid only for the exciting product of Betis’ youth team to rupture cruciate ligaments after just 18 minutes.
Last week as a substitute in a cup win over Valladolid he made his return with a sensational second half performance coming off the bench and creating two goals in a 3-0 win over Valladolid.
Position: Winger
Level: Europa League
Price in January: 5m-10m with add-ons aplenty if he progresses as expected
Benat
He looks like Gennaro Gattuso, he plays like Xavi. Betis midfielder Beñat got the goal two weeks ago that saw his team beat Jose Mourinho’s Real Madrid. In any other era the 25-year-old former Athletic Bilbao youth teamer would be a fixture in the national side.
As it was he just missed out on the Euros last summer but has made the squad for recent Brazil 2014 qualifiers. Betis feared Athletic would snatch him to replace Javi Martinez but he remains at the club and in the Champions League places in La Liga.
Position: Midfield
Level: Champions League
Price in January: 15m
Ruben Castro
Swansea's Michu is the only Spaniard in European football with more goals than Real Betis' speedy forward Ruben Castro and one of the key reasons why Real Betis are in a Champions League place. Speedy forward Ruben Castro has eight goals in 12 starts.
He can play anywhere in the front four positions and though Beits have him tied down until 2016 the 31 year-old could leave for little more than Swansea paid out on Michu such is Betis' still precarious financial position.
Position: Forward
Level: Staying up - Europa League
Price in January: 5m
Fernando Amorebieta
Central defender Fernando Amorebieta has been offered 1.8m euros a year in a new five year deal at Athletic Bilbao but wants an adventure away from La Liga and is holding out for a move this January or at the end of the season when his current contract runs out.
Don't be put off by the club record 11 red cards, Fernando would benefit from the Premier League’s slightly more lenient refereeing and he has the class to make it in England.
Position: Central defender
Level: Staying up - Europa League
Price in January: 4m-6m
Fernando Llorente
Last season Fernando Llorente top scored for Athletic Bilbao with 17 league goals and looked set to replace Fernando Torres as Spain’s centre-forward at the European Championship. Coach Marcelo Bielsa's failure to rotate his squad left Athletic tired and well beaten in both the Spanish Cup and Europa League finals at the end of last season and Llorente never kicked a ball in Poland and Ukraine.
He has been sidelined for his club this season because, unhappy with coach Bielsa, he has refused to sign a new deal. Athletic refused to sell for anything less than his 36m euros buyout clause in the summer but he will be a free agent next June so January is their last chance to cash in.
Position: Centre-forward
Level: Champions League
Price in January: 12m-15m
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-2242707/Fernando-Llorente-Isco-Spain-bargains-match-Michu-Premier-League-clubs.html
Not only do we not have £15-20 million to spend every time we sign someone, but looking at some lesser known player can provide a lot more value for your money.
After the glorious success of Michu at Swansea, last week Martin Keown wrote that English clubs would be heading to Spain in search of more bargains.
Whether you are trying to escape the drop, force your way into the Europa League or make the top four, every club's chances can be improved by a dip into the January sales.
And with Swansea showing there is ridiculous value available, Sportsmail sent our Spanish scout Pete Jenson to uncover a best 10 winter transfer window signings from La Liga.
Leo Baptistao
Michu was always going to be a hard act to follow but Rayo Vallecano have unearthed another gem to take his place.
Lanky Brazilian attacking midfielder Leo Baptistao is only 20 but with six goals and four assists in the first 13 games of the season he looks an even greater prospect than the man he has replaced and Rayo's financial plight means he only has a deal until the end of the season.
Position: Attacking midfield
Level: Europa League
Price in January: 3m-5m
Iago Aspas
Iago Aspas has been running defences ragged all season and with six goals the Celta Vigo forward is attracting attention from La Liga’s biggest clubs and beyond.
The 25-year-old wide attacker got 15 goals in his team's promotion to the top flight last season and has taken that form into this season.
Offers pace, direct running and a goal threat.
Position: Wide Forward
Level: Staying up - Europa League
Price in January: 3m-5m
Isco
Isco's Champions League performances have left watching scouts in no doubt that he has what it takes to follow David Silva, Juan Mata and Santi Cazorla to England should Malaga’s owners decide to sell.
The 20 year-old has a 21m buyout clause on a contract that runs out in 2016. Supporters are desperate not to see him follow Cazorla out the door in January.
Position: Attacking midfield
Level: Champions League
Price in January: 15m-18m
Oscar
The highest scoring midfielder in Spain is Valladolid's Oscar who has seven goals – two more than Cesc Fabregas.
He also six assists to his name and playing off the shoulder of Valladolid's former Manchester United forward Manucho he has helped Valladolid become the league’s fifth highest scorers. His deal runs out at the end of this season and he has a 6m euros buyout clause.
Position: Attacking midfield
Level: Staying up
Price in January: 3m
Guilherme Siqueira
Brazilian left-back Guilherme Siqueira went to Italy as youngster but never quite made the grade at Inter and Lazio, now 26 he has found a home at the 'economically-challenged' Granada and has matured into a solid European defender who retains the South American flair going forward.
He has outgrown in surroundings and Granada would have to sell if the price was right.
Position: Left Back
Level: Staying up
Price in January: 3m
Alvaro Vadillo
At only 18 Betis winger Alvaro Vadillo is one of La Liga's best hidden talents. Coach Pepe Mel has so much faith in him that he played him last season against Real Madrid only for the exciting product of Betis’ youth team to rupture cruciate ligaments after just 18 minutes.
Last week as a substitute in a cup win over Valladolid he made his return with a sensational second half performance coming off the bench and creating two goals in a 3-0 win over Valladolid.
Position: Winger
Level: Europa League
Price in January: 5m-10m with add-ons aplenty if he progresses as expected
Benat
He looks like Gennaro Gattuso, he plays like Xavi. Betis midfielder Beñat got the goal two weeks ago that saw his team beat Jose Mourinho’s Real Madrid. In any other era the 25-year-old former Athletic Bilbao youth teamer would be a fixture in the national side.
As it was he just missed out on the Euros last summer but has made the squad for recent Brazil 2014 qualifiers. Betis feared Athletic would snatch him to replace Javi Martinez but he remains at the club and in the Champions League places in La Liga.
Position: Midfield
Level: Champions League
Price in January: 15m
Ruben Castro
Swansea's Michu is the only Spaniard in European football with more goals than Real Betis' speedy forward Ruben Castro and one of the key reasons why Real Betis are in a Champions League place. Speedy forward Ruben Castro has eight goals in 12 starts.
He can play anywhere in the front four positions and though Beits have him tied down until 2016 the 31 year-old could leave for little more than Swansea paid out on Michu such is Betis' still precarious financial position.
Position: Forward
Level: Staying up - Europa League
Price in January: 5m
Fernando Amorebieta
Central defender Fernando Amorebieta has been offered 1.8m euros a year in a new five year deal at Athletic Bilbao but wants an adventure away from La Liga and is holding out for a move this January or at the end of the season when his current contract runs out.
Don't be put off by the club record 11 red cards, Fernando would benefit from the Premier League’s slightly more lenient refereeing and he has the class to make it in England.
Position: Central defender
Level: Staying up - Europa League
Price in January: 4m-6m
Fernando Llorente
Last season Fernando Llorente top scored for Athletic Bilbao with 17 league goals and looked set to replace Fernando Torres as Spain’s centre-forward at the European Championship. Coach Marcelo Bielsa's failure to rotate his squad left Athletic tired and well beaten in both the Spanish Cup and Europa League finals at the end of last season and Llorente never kicked a ball in Poland and Ukraine.
He has been sidelined for his club this season because, unhappy with coach Bielsa, he has refused to sign a new deal. Athletic refused to sell for anything less than his 36m euros buyout clause in the summer but he will be a free agent next June so January is their last chance to cash in.
Position: Centre-forward
Level: Champions League
Price in January: 12m-15m
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-2242707/Fernando-Llorente-Isco-Spain-bargains-match-Michu-Premier-League-clubs.html
Not only do we not have £15-20 million to spend every time we sign someone, but looking at some lesser known player can provide a lot more value for your money.
