“Ones to Watch” - Málaga’s Ignacio Camacho

The weekend of football is almost over in La Liga – still waiting for Rayo Vallecano and Deportivo de La Coruña this evening – so what better way to bridge the gap before the Champions League returns than by looking at another player who could return to the agendas of sides both in Spain and in England?

Ignacio Camacho is today’s choice. A tough, combative central midfielder that was one of the major driving forces behind a Malaga side, shrouded in off-field issues, showing a much-needed consistency on the field and finishing mid table – although one that notably struggled when he wasn’t in the side.

Even as a youngster his leadership qualities were evident and he captained the Spain U17 side as they won the 2007 European Championship in Belgium, beating England in the final. Camacho scored in the group game against Ukraine whilst also converting the winning penalty in the semi-final shoot-out victory over hosts Belgium. This was a Belgium side that contained the likes of current Premier League stars Christian Benteke and Eden Hazard.

And 2007 continued to be a breakout year for Ignacio as he was awarded the “Best Player of 2007” by Madrid’s football federation ahead of making his debut for ‘Los Rojiblancos’ against Barcelona in the second half of the season and showed composure beyond his years as Atletico won 4-2 against the Catalan giants. Not long afterwards and he scored a double in a 3-0 win over Recreativo de Huelva. “The reality is going from the third division to the first is a huge jump, but football is my life – players have to be prepared for these changes.”

Towards the end of the 07/08 season there were rumours going around that Camacho had developed quite an ego after an explosive start to his professional career. Some said he only cared about the money and the fame, that hard work and dedication came second. The typical stories which come out when a young starlet begins to ruffle the feathers of his more established teammates.

These rumours were in stark contrast to what Atletico Madrid’s youth coach Javier Garcia Marquez said at the time: “He’s a leader on and off the pitch. And aside from that, he’s an incredible lad who doesn’t act like a prima donna. What singles him out from the rest is his work ethic, he works so hard every day to improve and sees every training session as a challenge to better himself.”

The following two and a half seasons were a struggle for Camacho due to injury problems and then struggling to regain his place when fit. During that time he also missed the 2009 U21 European Championship with Spain and it with his contract running down, Atletico decided to sell him in January 2011 to Malaga for just €1.5m – Atletico inserted a buy-back clause which ran until 2013.

Malaga were hovering around the relegation places when he arrived but, feeling he had something to prove, Camacho’s calming influence in midfield helped the side go on a 5-game win streak and finish the season in a respectable 11th place. He struggled to keep his place in a Malaga side that that had been rebuilt following Sheikh Abdullah Al Thani’s takeover but did force his way into the starting XI for the final run of fixtures, scoring against Valencia as the side finished 4th and thus qualifying for the Champions League.

He established himself as first choice thereafter, helping the Albicelestes go unbeaten in their Champions League group before bowing out to eventual finalists Borussia Dortmund. People were starting to see the player that had promised so much but whose progression had been damaged by unfortunate injuries at crucial stages in his career.

Throughout the next two seasons Ignacio managed to find regularity, something he desperately needed, and became a crucial cog in Malaga’s midfield. His tenacious work ethic, reading of the game and love of a tackle meant he immediately earned the respect and support of the Malaga fans. For someone relatively short, he wins a fair amount of headers also. Another in the mould of Otamendi mould who possesses a wonderful leap.

In the last 18 months he’s been linked with moves to Inter Milan, West Brom, Liverpool, Tottenham and even a return to Atletico Madrid. What perhaps put all of them off signing him this summer will have been yet another injury lapse. He was first operated on back in March and returned to play in three of their last four matches at the end of the 14/15 season. However this summer he was forced to go under the knife again as the discomfort hadn’t gone away after the initial surgery. He returned to full training now but is still perhaps a week or so away from being named in the match day squad.

Prior to those injury concerns he was having the best season of his career. Camacho made 3.3 tackles per game which placed him joint-second behind Gabi (Atletico Madrid) in the league, but managing more interceptions – 2.8 per game - than the Atletico captain’s 1.5. His 3.1 clearances per game were also the highest in the league for a midfielder. It’s natural when you post these numbers alongside some fine displays that interest will emerge.

He signed a new contract last year, extending his existing deal to 2019 but a release clause of just €20m won’t put off suitors. To succeed in the Premier League he would need to improve his effectiveness on the ball when under pressure, something which is far more commonplace in England than here in Spain. The physical side isn’t something he would struggle to adapt to, nor the energy levels demanded from English fans.

One thing he won’t do, however, is force a move. “I’m very happy here. Every summer and winter there are rumours and, in the end, I remain here.” He’s grateful for the chance Malaga gave him after struggling at Atletico Madrid. Any move would have to be to the satisfaction of his current club.

If he can avoid any setbacks from now until January I can certainly see interest in him from more sides. His options in Spain are limited now but the Premier League and Serie A will offer him options to abandon Malaga. He was on the cusp of a call-up to the National side before injuries struck and at just 25, there’s plenty of time for him to force his way into the reckoning at International level - he’s not even reached his peak yet.

If the currently interested sides end up waiting too long to see if he’s fully recovered from his injury problems then there’s the risk that come next summer there might be bigger players in the mix. Signing him in January would represent a gamble but one certainly worth taking, especially when it’s widely expected Malaga would accept less than his €20m (£14m) release clause.