Aleix García, Girona to Bayer Leverkusen (€18m)
If you wanted a good judge of a Spanish defensive midfielder, then Xabi Alonso’s opinion would be sought first. After winning the Bundesliga last year, the head coach wants to ready Bayer Leverkusen for the Champions League. He earmarked García early on as the man he needed in front of the defence to improve a team that went through the league season unbeaten. The 27-year-old missed out on the Spain squad for their victorious European Championship but he has faced worse ordeals. After joining Manchester City from Villarreal as a teenager, he looked set for a fine career trajectory but was released by City having made no impact and ended up joining a failing Dinamo Bucharest, leaving after three months. The rebuilding job started at Eibar before he headed to Girona, culminating in Champions League qualification last season.
