But his recuperation need not be lonely in England’s northwest. A short trip and he can visit Iván Campo or Fernando Hierro, the former Madridistas at Bolton Wanderers. Or he can check in with Javier de Pedro of Blackburn Rovers. Not to mention the Spanish community at Liverpool, where Josemi has made his debut, and where Xabi Alonso from Real Sociedad and Luis Garcia from Barcelona are close to finalising moves.
This summer the Premiership has imported record numbers of La Liga players, in part because England and Spain are the two countries where the game’s economy still has most life. Some of Spanish football’s more celebrated expatriates — Patrick Kluivert and Noureddine Naybet — have found generous employers in England. But you can now also compile a useful XI from Spaniards employed by English top-flight clubs. True, four players would be from Liverpool, but enthusiasm for the native potential in Europe’s strongest league is shared. The managers of Arsenal, Manchester United and Liverpool are close observers of the Spanish market.
Arsène Wenger now shops in La Liga like he used to scout in France. Lauren, Cesc, Fábregas, Jose Antonio Reyes, and his new goalkeeper Manuel Almunia have come from Spain. Arsenal were at one stage in competition with United for the Barcelona youth centre-half, Gerard Piqué.
Revolution it is. A little over three years ago, there were a mere two Spaniards in the Premiership, and sightings of Marcelino at Newcastle were rare — among the dozens of Frenchmen, and some Dutchmen and Italians.
Spanish footballers had a reputation as poor travellers. Most who played in Italy when Serie A still had the best salaries and most exacting standards failed. There is a stubborn stereotype of young Spanish men as homesick mummy’s boys, who live in the parental home until well into their 20s and are happiest among their friends from the pueblo.
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Not that you would want to suggest that to the stately Hierro, one of the hardest competitors in Europe for the best part of two decades and an intriguing signing, even by Bolton’s adventurous standards. Fourteen months ago, he was winning a league championship as captain of Real Madrid. When Real won nothing in their subsequent, disastrous campaign, a number of nostalgics missed Hierro for his leadership, and for all of his slowing limbs. He spent a year in Qatar before signing for Bolton, aged 36.
Gaizka Mendieta spent a year lost in Lazio and another on the periphery at Barcelona before joining Middlesbrough. If not quite recapturing there the form that made him, for Valencia, Uefa’s choice as best midfielder in Europe for 2000 and 2001, he has certainly rediscovered some of his influence.
Blackburn’s De Pedro would be aiming for something similar. He was first choice in his position for Spain at the 2002 World Cup, but not selected for Euro 2004. He has recently turned 31 and has a super left foot, but if he is to return to international consideration he must outperform two young fliers: Valencia’s Vicente and Arsenal’s Reyes .
Spain have won more age-group titles than any other European nation — including the under-19 continental title last month. Spain were finalists in the most recent Uefa under-17 championship, and in the World Youth Cup — where Fábregas, a Catalan whom Barcelona were reluctant to see taken away, caught the eye.
Luis Garcia, 23, is also a Barça product. He is a winger with pace whose performance last season earned him a call-up for Spain, before injury prevented him honouring it. Xabi Alonso, the central midfielder, would arrive with the highest expectations of all. The Basque, the son of a professional, would be the closest equivalent Spanish football has to a Steven Gerrard. Exactly how close he should soon discover.