Jesus Vallejo

After 10 years of providing dedicated service to the club, Pepe left the Bernabeu after the expiration of his contract. With his departure, Madrid had only three recognised centre-halves in the form of Raphael Varane, Sergio Ramos and Nacho.
So, obviously, a fourth defender was needed – and Jesus Vallejo was kept after returning from his successful loan spell at Frankfurt. The former Zaragoza starlet is regarded by many as the best centre-back produced by Spain after the legendary Carles Puyol.
Vallejo is an exceptional talent, but his game is very raw and is constantly beaten in the air. His tactical intelligence and ability to read the game make him a great potential and with time, he will mould into an indispensable starter alongside Raphael Varane at the heart of the defence.
Grading: 7.5/10