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In the last few years, La Liga might have lost a bit of its shine because of the departure of some of its top players, but there are still plenty of stars around.
Lionel Messi’s exit from Barcelona is bound to reduce its popularity among the masses, but there are other young players who can take up the mantle and succeed in the league.
Financially, the league has failed to compete with the riches of the Premier League. Despite that, La Liga sides remain competitive in European competitions.
Villarreal won the UEFA Europa League last season, and have some impressive young players. The value of some of the young players is staggering in the Spanish top flight.
So without further ado, let’s take a look at the
5 most valuable defenders from La Liga right now
(values based on Transfermarkt.com).
#5 Diego Carlos (Sevilla) – £40.5 million
Diego Carlos rose to prominence for Sevilla when they won the UEFA Europa League in 2020.
Spanish sides have dominated the UEFA Europa League in recent seasons, and Carlos’s impressive displays helped Sevilla beat Inter Milan in 2020.
Carlos was instrumental for the Andalusians that season as he put in some solid displays at the back. The Brazilian is a towering figure at the back, and can also play the ball out from the back with ease.
The 28-year old is at the peak of his prowess right now and has a contract with La Liga side Sevilla that runs until 2024.
#4 Pau Torres (Villarreal) - £45 million
Villarreal centre-back Pau Torres is one of the brightest young players in La Liga at the moment. The Spaniard is expected to be the bedrock of the national team in the coming years, and is already attracting interest from several top European clubs.
Torres is perhaps the archetypal modern-day centre-back as he has good distribution and is also pretty quick to make recovery tackles.
The 24-year old played a key role for Villarreal as they lifted their first ever UEFA Europa League title under Unai Emery earlier this year.
Torres is currently valued at £45 million by Transfermarkt, and his value could rise further if he continues his impressive form this season.
The centre-back’s current contract with La Liga side Villarreal runs until 2024, so the club are likely to demand a high fee should they decide to sell him any time soon.
#3 David Alaba (Real Madrid) - £49.5 million
David Alaba arrived at Real Madrid on a free transfer earlier this summer, in what is perhaps one of the deals of the transfer window so far.
The Austrian is one of the most versatile defenders in world football as he can not only play at left-back and centre-back, but can also fill in as a central midfielder.
Alaba won numerous titles at Bayern Munich and was a key player for the Bavarians before his free transfer to Real Madrid.
Although Real Madrid lost Raphael Varane and Sergio Ramos this summer, Alaba’s addition will compensate as the Austrian is in the peak years of his career, and has signed a long-term contract with the club.
#2 Jules Kounde (Sevilla) - £54 million
Jules Kounde is the youngest player on the list, and has a big future ahead of him. France have produced some bright young defenders in recent years, and Kounde is perhaps the pick of the lot.
Although Kounde isn’t the tallest of defenders, he more than makes up for it with his good reading of the game.
Armed with pace and good passing ability, Kounde can play at right-back and centre-back, and has been linked with a move to Chelsea and Real Madrid.
Sevilla have done well to retain Kounde’s services so far this summer. They will hope the Frenchman’s transfer value rises further this season along with his centre-back partner Diego Carlos.
#1 Jose Gimenez (Atletico Madrid) - £54 million
The Uruguayan moved to Atletico Madrid in 2013, and has slowly developed into one of the most talented centre-backs in the Spanish top-flight.
Gimenez has been seen as Diego Godin’s heir at the club as the latter was an integral part of Diego Simeone’s side for several years.
Gimenez is a strong defender who rarely lets anything past him. At 26 years of age, he is still approaching his peak years, and will continue to be extremely valuable.
The centre-back played 21 times for Atletico Madrid last season as they won the league title, and will hope to feature more regularly this season.
