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Seven young stars that will impress in La Liga this season

By Steve Zavala

PORTO, PORTUGAL - JUNE 09: Joao Felix of Portugal looks on prior to the UEFA Nations League Final between Portugal and the Netherlands at Estadio do Dragao on June 9, 2019 in Porto, Portugal. (Photo by TF-Images/Getty Images)
PORTO, PORTUGAL - JUNE 09: Joao Felix of Portugal looks on prior to the UEFA Nations League Final between Portugal and the Netherlands at Estadio do Dragao on June 9, 2019 in Porto, Portugal. (Photo by TF-Images/Getty Images) /
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LONDON, ENGLAND – JULY 27: Martin Odegaard of Real Sociedad looks on during the Pre-Season Friendly between Millwall and Real Sociedad at The Den on July 27, 2019 in London, England. (Photo by Harriet Lander/Getty Images)
LONDON, ENGLAND – JULY 27: Martin Odegaard of Real Sociedad looks on during the Pre-Season Friendly between Millwall and Real Sociedad at The Den on July 27, 2019 in London, England. (Photo by Harriet Lander/Getty Images) /

Martin Odegaard (20) – Attacking Midfielder, Real Sociedad (on loan from Real Madrid)

If you have followed youth players in world football over this decade, you may have very well heard of Martin Odegaard.

In January of 2015, the Norwegian wonderkid signed with Real Madrid at the age of 16. The move excited the Real Madrid faithful as he was projected to be the next breakthrough superstar in La Liga. Four years later, Odegaard has not yet become a mainstay with the first-team, but the club is hopeful that he will soon be able to be an influential member of the team.

Odegaard is coming off of a stellar season with the Eredivisie side Vitesse. He contributed 18 goals and assists in league play and emerged as the team’s top playmaking threat. The Real Madrid talent did the most of his 67.1 touches per game in league play, which included 3.6 key passes per game and 2.7 successful dribbles per game. He did everything and more in the role of the team’s top creative force on a game-by-game basis.

His breakthrough campaign for Vitesse earned him a place in the Eredivisie Team of the Year; he was the only player not from Ajax or PSV to be selected to the team.

Once dubbed as a failed project, Real Madrid have now been rejuvenated with the belief that he will soon become the player that they all once hoped he’d be.

Now with Real Sociedad on a loan move, all eyes will be on his progress this season. If he can pick up where he left off and continue to be a creative force on the pitch, he may soon return to Real Madrid and fulfil his dream of featuring with the first-team.

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