Key strength: Link-up play
Target man
At just 20 years old, Pau Cabanes represents the next generation emerging from Villarreal's famed academy system. Sitting fourth in La Liga, the Yellow Submarine have given their young centre-forward precious first-team exposure this season—3 appearances totaling 90 minutes as he learns his craft behind established striker Georges Mikautadze. While the goal and assist columns remain blank for now, Cabanes brings a different dimension to Marcelino's squad: deployed as a target man, his link-up play offers a physical focal point that complements Villarreal's more technical attackers. With a modest €800,000 market value reflecting his developmental stage, Cabanes is currently absorbing the rhythms of top-flight football alongside experienced teammates like Pape Gueye and Tajon Buchanan. His FIFA-style profile—55 pace, 50 shooting, 45 physical—suggests a player still growing into his frame, but those 90 minutes are golden currency for a teenager learning what it takes to lead the line for a club chasing European qualification.