Six Sexy Summer Signings From Spain

FALCAO
Club: Atlético Madrid
Position: Striker
Perfect for: Chelsea, Manchester City
Value: €60m
Not the cheapest of purchases, mind, but Atlético Madrid and an investment fund will be wanting the €40m back and then some on a striker who has made a bit of a name for himself in the Europa League over the past two seasons and in la Liga last season with 24 goals. Come to think of it, the tax man would also like some of that money, considering Atlético Madrid have a €220m debt.
Fans of the clubs listed above will be tickled pink indeed by the idea of a forward who can score the kind of goals seen in the Europa League final. However, they should also be aware that Falcao is not the most industrious of souls, something that saw criticism last season from Atlético fans during a particularly barren spell. The Colombian is not one for scurrying about and needs two or three players to cover the ground for him - Diego, Arda and Adrían last year - but give Falcao the ball and the striker will surely score. Or at least get close.

KAKA
Club: Real Madrid
Position: Forward
Perfect for: Arsenal
Value: €20m
Watching a once-wonderful footballer trying to get rediscover his lost mojo after a run of both serious and niggling injuries has been a very sad experience. The Brazilian is a tremendously willing, easy-going character but has suffered great psychological stress and angst trying to repay the €65m that Real Madrid forked out in 2009. Although the 30-year-old will never be as good as four or five seasons ago, there were still flashes of the old footballer in the season just gone.
The forward just needs a good run of games and some of the pressure taken away. As well as someone still capable of the spectacular, Kaká would be perfect for a young side needing a bit of glamour and a player in the ranks who has been there, done that and has the medals to prove it. All this may sound like an advert asking for someone to give a home to a perfect family dog left abandoned on the street and in possession of a bit of a leaky bottom, but someone should give Kaká one last chance to shine.

DANI ALVES
Club: Barcelona
Position: Full-back
Perfect for: Manchester City
Value: €20m
The Catalan club are caught between the rock and hard place of not really wanting to get rid of key players but needing a bit of cash to reinforce the centre of defence and bring in a new left-back. This means the potential sale of Dani Alves - who is becoming more expendable by the day - with strong rumours of the club willing to move the Brazilian on for the right figure. Everyone knows what Alves is capable of - covering a flank, bombing forward, playing in a front three if necessary, doing ill-advised dances and getting a bollocking of Carles Puyol - as well as not so good at: crossing. There is the sense in Spain that Barça may want a change and that Alves himself needs a new challenge to take the full-back into his thirties.

BORJA VALERO
Club: Villarreal
Position: Midfielder
Perfect for: Liverpool, Newcastle
Value: €15m
Villarreal's relegation and need to find some money fast, combined with Borja's desire to move from Spanish international fringe player to full-on top footballer will see any serious offer being accepted within seconds for a player who, on his day, is up there with David Silva and Juan Mata.
A late developer after an unsuccessful spell with West Brom in the 2008/2009 season, the 27-year-old playmaker exhausted himself single-handedly trying to save Villareal's skins but couldn't quite manage it. Can run a midfield, pick out the perfect pass and take care of all set-piece needs. Price will sound steep to some, but that's probably less than what Málaga might be offering to reunite Borja with Santi Cazorla.

ROBERTO JIMINEZ
Club: Zaragoza
Position: Goalkeeper
Perfect for: Anyone with a terrible defence.
Value: €10m
Zaragoza survived relegation by the hair on their indebted chinny chinny chins but would have been down by October had it not been for the season-spanning saves of Roberto. The brilliant Spanish goalkeeper (yes, another one) joined from Benfica on a deal that no-one is really too sure about and is ready to be moved on. However, a stupendous year playing in front of an awful back four means that a large quantity of clubs will be lusting after a footballer used to being a one-man match-saving machine.

MICHU
Club: Rayo Vallecano
Position: Midfielder/Forward
Perfect for: Everton, Aston Villa, Sunderland.
Value: €8m
Linked with Manchester United, but that would probably be a bad move for both parties, especially for a player who is all about the frenzied physical side of football rather than speed and finesse. Michu is a net-shaking, divot booting big fella who scored 15 goals for Rayo Vallecano last season to keep the side in la Primera. Perfect for set-pieces or any team where elbowing one's way though a back four is preferable to weaving through it in a delicate, dainty manner. Rayo's constant financial troubles will see any good offer accepted. The fact that Michu himself has said that English football interests him is a healthy sign too.