Jose Maria Gimenez, 20, Atletico Madrid
The sale of Atletico stalwart Miranda to Inter has gone barely noticed in Madrid after the emergence of Uruguayan Jose Maria Gimenez. The 20-year-old has fast become one of the most highly rated centre-backs in Europe with his all-action displays and was thought to be subject of a failed £17.5m transfer bid from Man City last summer.
He would cost twice that figure now as a future star, but would be an excellent signing and a great potential partner for Koscielny or Gabriel. He doesn’t have the height that Per does, but he has a South American tenacity that makes it incredibly difficult to play against.