Five new arrivals worth following in La Liga this season
From a record-breaking deal at Real Madrid, to world champions returning home, to one veteran striker's final European challenge — a look at the fresh faces set to shape "La Liga" this season
By: Dr. Talal Othman
Between a historic transfer that upended the market and world champions returning to the clubs they refused to leave for anyone else, La Liga this season looks as though it has recovered its old shine as the stage for European football's biggest stories. The conversation is no longer confined to Real Madrid and Barcelona in the traditional sense — it now stretches to stars returning from the Premier League, rising talents on the way up, and even one last adventure for a striker in the autumn of his career, seeking a new chapter far from the biggest spotlights. Here are five names that deserve close attention this new season.
Yann Diomandé: the most expensive deal in Real Madrid's history
It was hardly a surprise that the 19-year-old Ivorian winger found himself at the centre of a frantic race involving clubs the size of Paris Saint-Germain and Liverpool, before Real Madrid finally won the day with a deal worth an estimated €140 million ($162 million) with add-ons — making it the most expensive transfer in the club's history.
The story began right on Madrid's doorstep. Diomandé joined RB Leipzig in the summer of 2025 from neighbouring Leganés, and went on to enjoy an exceptional season, scoring 12 goals and providing 8 assists in the Bundesliga, earning the league's Breakthrough Player award along the way. Add to that his standout displays for Ivory Coast at the World Cup in North America, and it becomes clear why he turned into one of the most sought-after names in the transfer market.
The young dribbler, comfortable on either flank, is expected to operate mainly on the right side of Madrid's attack in a role that carries a responsibility beyond simply scoring goals: restoring balance to a forward line that has leaned heavily towards the left in the past two seasons, with Kylian Mbappé and Vinícius Júnior often occupying the same zone.
Rodri: the maestro who chose the Catalan rivals
This may have been the most talked-about deal in Spain this summer. Spain's World Cup-winning midfielder, long linked with Real Madrid, ultimately chose Barcelona's collective, attacking style over the lights of the Santiago Bernabéu a decision that reflects the player's own vision for the next stage of his career more than it reflects conventional market logic.
The midfielder, who served as the conductor of Pep Guardiola's side, will find at Barcelona a nucleus of his Spain teammates young Pau Cubarsí, Pedri, Dani Olmo, and the emerging talent Lamín Yamal as the club looks to rebuild the spine of a "La Roja" side crowned world champions for the second time.
At 30 years old, and fresh off being named Best Player at the 2026 World Cup and winning the 2024 Ballon d'Or, Rodri brings the young Catalan side experience, physical strength, and an exceptional reading of the game, along with the ball-recovery ability that Spain's back-to-back league champions have clearly lacked despite their attacking dominance, the club has suffered defensively more than once in recent seasons.
Anthony Gordon: the English replacement reshaping Barcelona's attack
Rather than doubling down on Marcus Rashford — whose loan spell was one of Barcelona's biggest successes last season — the Catalan club opened its summer transfer business by signing another England international, Anthony Gordon, for around €80 million ($93 million) with add-ons.
The 25-year-old winger arrives in La Liga in the form of his life, on the back of a promising 2026 World Cup in which England finished third, and during which he scored the Three Lions' only goal in the semi-final defeat to Argentina, 1-2.
Born in Liverpool and a graduate of the Everton academy where he made his professional debut at just sixteen Gordon arrives to help fill the attacking gap left by the departures of Robert Lewandowski and Ferran Torres. And for anyone wondering how he might perform against Barcelona specifically, the numbers already have an answer: he faced the Catalan side twice during last season's Champions League campaign, scoring ten goals in twelve matches over that European run.
Marc Cucurella: a world champion returns home
The Catalan left-back a Barcelona academy graduate known for his fighting spirit and now-signature mop of curly hair is one of the most popular figures in the Spanish national team. He chose to join Barcelona's great Madrid rivals at the start of the 2026 World Cup, in a deal worth around €55 million ($64 million).
After five seasons in the Premier League split between Brighton and Chelsea, the 2024 European champion and this summer's world champion returns to his homeland with a clear mission: shoring up the left side of a Real Madrid defence that has struggled in recent seasons from a lack of defensive cover on that flank, with both Vinícius and Mbappé offering little support in that area.
At 28, Cucurella will compete directly with Álvaro Carreras, who joined the club last summer for a similar fee to suit head coach Xabi Alonso's attacking style, but has yet to fully win everyone over. The battle between the two could be one of the storylines worth following in Real Madrid's defence this season.
Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang: one last challenge in Europe
At 37 years old, the Gabonese striker has chosen to embark on what may be his final European chapter, leaving Marseille for the second time to join Deportivo La Coruña, back in the top flight after many long years of struggle in the lower divisions.
"Auba" returns to La Liga after a previous spell with Barcelona in the 2022 season, bringing to the promising Galician club his vast experience, his renowned goal instinct, and a burst of pace that has not deserted him despite his age, after signing a two-year contract.
The striker, who previously played for Saudi Arabia's Al-Qadsiah, didn't take long to make his mark: he scored his first goal for his new club on his debut last weekend, celebrating with his trademark front-flip — a moment that reminded Deportivo's fans they had signed a player who still has plenty left to give on the pitch.
Five very different stories, each with its own motives and context, yet they all meet at a single point: La Liga is reclaiming its ability to combine record-breaking transfers, returning champions, rising talent, and even the final chapters of legends who still have something to say on the pitch. The season has barely begun, but its shape is already coming into focus.
