While the Spanish title race is likely to be a straight battle between La Liga's two giants, Barcelona and Real Madrid, there are plenty of talking points elsewhere ahead of the 2015/16 season.
Can Atletico Madrid give big two a challenge?
Atletico have again invested wisely in attacking talent. Up front, Spain’s 2014 champions have signed Colombian Jackson Martinez for €35 million (Dh142m) from FC Porto and Argentinian Luciano Vietto from Villarreal. Manager Diego Simeone knows compatriot Vietto well. If he can improve on the splendid form of last season, he will be a great asset.
The new strikers will add pace to an attack which lacked it except for the speed of star player Antoine Griezmann last season.
Simeone has also signed Belgian international midfielder Yannick Ferreira Carrasco from AS Monaco and central defender Stefan Savic, formerly of Manchester City, in a €25m deal from Fiorentina.
The return of Brazilian left-back Filipe Luis from Chelsea is another excellent addition.
Simeone’s side will set up in a similar manner to the last four seasons and will be expected to push Barcelona and Real Madrid and reach the latter stages of the Uefa Champions League.
Atletico have been a huge success during the past six years and have achieved more than far better-resourced rivals in Europe.
Will Sevilla strike gold once again?
Masters of the transfer market, Sevilla have been busy again. The Europa League winners, who finished fifth last season, have a long history of success both in buying and selling.
Recently, they paid €7m for Colombian forward Carlos Bacca and sold him for €30m, and paid €3m for Aleix Vidal before he was sold for €18m to Barcelona. Much of the credit goes to their sporting director Monchi, who has agreed to stay despite interest from elsewhere.
It will be hard for Sevilla to cope with the demands of the league and the Champions League, but they have become used to 60 games per season while integrating significant numbers of new players.
Can Valencia recover from losing their best player?
Valencia have developed and sold some incredible players during the past decade – David Silva, Juan Mata and Jordi Alba to name a few.
This time they look like they are going to lose star defender Nicolas Otamendi. Manchester United were not interested in the Argentinian centre-half, but Manchester City are.
Phil Neville is working hard as assistant manager and has impressed players of the club who finished fourth last season with his work ethic.
Valencia are back in Europe and will be one of a record five Spanish clubs in the Champions League if they win their play-off against Monaco, starting Thursday.
They have excelled under Portuguese coach Nuno Gomes, aided by the stability of Peter Lim’s money and the influence of agent Jorge Mendes, who uses Valencia to provide a platform for the excellent, emerging talents on his books. He is Otamendi’s agent.
If striker Alvaro Negredo, signed for €28m from Manchester City – the type of transfer fees Valencia have been unable to pay since their financial meltdown – can be a success, they could push the top three.
Is Moyes going to make his mark in Spain?
David Moyes’s Real Sociedad bought well in signing forward Jonathas for €7m.
After leading the club away from the relegation zone last season, Moyes is tasked with further improvement. He has got a good eye for a player and has travelled extensively with assistant Billy McKinlay to scout new talent.
One of the players was Portuguese winger Bruma, signed on loan from Galatasaray. Closer to home, locals have reported seeing him at more reserve and B team games than any other previous manager.
Moyes would like more signings, with the hope of making more of a mark on the top half of the table.
Is Bilbao’s squad big enough to challenge?
Athletic Bilbao won their first trophy in 31 years by defeating Barcelona 5-1 in the Spanish Super Cup.
The Basques are now fully settled into their new San Mames home, boast an excellent coach in Ernesto Valverde and have Europa League football to look forward to.
Play as they did against Barcelona over two legs and they can push for a Champions League place, but the danger is that a long Europa League campaign could sap a squad they struggle to replenish.
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