With reports that Chelsea are set to make a £22m bid to sign long-term target Koke from Atletico Madrid this summer, here are five facts Blues fans should know about the promising young midfielder if rumours in the Daily Express prove to be true…
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1) He’s been compared with Xavi
Long regarded as one of the best young talents in Spain, Koke has been compared with Barcelona midfield legend Xavi in his style of play. The silky playmaker certainly has an eye for a pass (13 assists this season) and is one of many technically gifted and intelligent footballers coming through in La Liga at the moment. Like Xavi, he is also not much of a goalscorer, scoring just four this term, but when he does find the back of the net they tend to be a bit special!
2) Debut back in 2009
Speaking of Barcelona, Koke made his first-team debut for Atletico against the Catalan giants at the Nou Camp all the way back in 2009 in a 5-2 defeat. Amazingly, just five years on Atletico rose to become a surprise force in La Liga as they won the title on the same ground on the final day of last season.
3) Experienced for a youngster
After being introduced into the first-team at Atletico as a teenager, Koke has now gone on to make 200 appearances for the club just by the age of 23. So despite his relative youth, he is an experienced player with plenty of honours to look back on already as he perhaps looks to make the next step up in his career.
4) He’s had success vs Mourinho
If he does team up with Jose Mourinho this summer, the Chelsea manager will be glad not to be playing against him anymore! Koke has caused the Portuguese coach numorous problems as a Madrid player, helping the club beat his Real Madrid side 2-1 in the 2013 Copa Del Rey final, and also knocking his Chelsea side out of the Champions League semi-finals last term with a superb second-leg display at Stamford Bridge.
5) European Championship U21 winner
As well as La Liga and the Copa Del Rey, Koke is a winner with Spain at Under-21 level as his side claimed the 2013 European Championships. With so much debate about this issue at the moment, it seems clear that this top class player has benefitted somewhat from success at youth level, taking it into his game for the bigger matches and competitions.