Breaking through

Brahim Diaz

(Real Madrid)

Much to the annoyance of Pep Guardiola, the teenager opted to quit Manchester City in January for a six-and-a-half-year contract with Real. Bernabeu coach Zinedine Zidane says: “I like it that he always goes straight for goal and is absolutely two-footed.”

Ademola Lookman

(RB Leipzig)

A loanee with Leipzig in the second half of the 2017-18 season, the speedy English winger put pen to paper in July on a five-year contract. It should prove a fruitful alliance as his old club, Everton, never seemed to particularly trust him, while RB most certainly do.

Thiago Mendes

(Lyon)

Bought this summer for €22m from Lille, the Brazilian midfield holder is much more than a tenacious ball winner. Technically accomplished, astute in his distribution, very aware tactically and an authoritative leader, the 27-year-old is the complete package.

Raul De Tomas

(Benfica)

Benfica did far more than gather crumbs from the rich man’s table when paying Real Madrid €20m in July for their unappreciated striker. Pay no attention to the fact that RDT’s senior career with the Galacticos lasted only 14 minutes, a “blink and you’ll miss it” substitute cameo in a Copa del Rey tie against Cornella in October 2014. Drill down beneath the “Real reject” tag and you will find a fine second striker, someone who only requires trust to blossom.

Fans at the Estadio da Luz certainly liked what they saw of him in Benfica’s 5-0 hammering of Lisbon rivals Sporting in the Portuguese Super Cup. Although he was not on the scoresheet, the 24-year-old looked as sharp as a tack, catching the eye with his clever movement and evident chemistry with front-line partner Haris Seferovic.

Ostensibly recruited to fill the void left by the departure this summer of Joao Felix, who moved to Atletico Madrid for an eye-watering €125m, De Tomas is no like-for-like replacement but could, in his own way, prove equally potent. He plays with guile, is magnetically attracted to the red zone and can shoot with either foot.

The Madrid-born son of a Spanish father and Dominican mother, Real’s first team was strictly off limits and he was sent out on loan for the last four years, first at Cordoba, then Valladolid and for the last two seasons with Rayo Vallecano.

Murilo Cerqueira

(Lokomotiv Moscow)

Brazilian central defender signed from Cruzeiro who, at first glance, seems a little ponderous, but is a highly effective forward-shadower all the same. Performed excellently for Brazil’s under-23s at this summer’s Toulon tournament in the south of France.

Erling Haland

(Red Bull Salzburg)

The Norwegian put nine goals past Honduras at this summer’s Under-20 World Cup, setting a new tournament record. The son of former Manchester City