Javi Hernández claims his place

The 22-year-old playmaker has six assists in ten La Liga appearances, matching Neymar's early-season pace, and made his Spain U-21 debut with an assist against Japan.

Javi Hernández, the RCD Espanyol midfielder on loan from the club, has made a rapid impact since his La Liga debut 90 days ago. In the opening match against Levante, he assisted Roberto Fernández in Espanyol's 3-0 win and has since provided six assists in his first ten league appearances—a tally matched only by Neymar Jr. in the 21st century over the same span.

Named La Liga EA Sports' best U-23 player in August, Hernández has become a regular starter under manager Manolo González and a fixture in Spain's U-21 squad.

After missing the previous international break with a minor muscle injury, Hernández made his Spain U-21 debut on Friday in a 2-0 win over Japan, entering at half-time and recording his seventh assist of the season. New former Espanyol manager Eder Sarabia has used him as a substitute in his opening match, citing the need for a full week of training, but Hernández's form suggests he will soon reclaim a starting role.