Manchester United, Barcelona and Real Madrid stars among Europe's top rated loanees

When it comes to seeing a youth team player develop with regular game time or to put an out of favour star in the shop window, the best course of action is to loan a player out. Loan moves are one of the more regular dealings in football and the lucrative market shows no signs of slowing anytime soon. 

Here, we take a look at the best rated players on loan across Europe's top five leagues and ponder what the future may hold for those blossoming starlets or fringe performers looking to increase interest in their services... 

10. Pervis Estupinan (Osasuna, on loan from Watford) - 7.02 rating 

Watford have a knack for bringing in the best unknown South American talent and Pervis Estupinan is no exception. The Ecuadorian left-back is almost at the halfway stage of a two-year loan stint, yet the Hornets are supposedly able to bring him back to Vicarage Road this summer, which could be a wise move for Nigel Pearson's side. 

Estupinan has been one of the breakthrough stars of the LaLiga campaign having garnered a commendable WhoScored rating of 7.02. Pearson isn't short of left-back options at present with Kiko Femenia, Jose Holebas and Adam Masina all able to operate at full back under the 56-year-old, yet the 22-year-old is arguably a level above the aforementioned trio. Estupinan ranks second for tackles (70) and accurate crosses excluding corners (31) in LaLiga this term and these two qualities could be effective weapons in Pearson's arsenal in the coming campaign. 

9. Tiemoue Bakayoko (Monaco, on loan from Chelsea) - 7.05 rating 

Tiemoue Bakayoko endured an unhappy debut, and so far only, season with Chelsea on the back of his big money arrival from Monaco in 2017. Since then, the Frenchman went some way to rebuilding his reputation with AC Milan before completing a loan move to Monaco last summer. He may not have hit the heights that convinced Chelsea to part ways with £40m three years ago, yet Bakayoko has look far more his imposing on familiar territory. 

The 25-year-old has garnered a modest WhoScored rating of 7.05 in Ligue 1 this season having chipped in with one goal and two assists for this top-four chasing Monaco outfit, but it's off the ball where Bakayoko has been at his best. Indeed, he has returned averages of 2.4 tackles and 1.5 interceptions per game in the middle of the park for Monaco. They have an option to make that move permanent for a rumoured €30m at the end of the season and it would be a huge surprise if they didn't take up the chance to do so. 

8. Dejan Kulusevski (Parma, on loan from Juventus) - 7.07 rating 

Atalanta had Dejan Kulusevski on the books from 2016 and having only made three league appearances for the Serie A side since his arrival in Bergamo, the elected to send him out on loan to newly-promoted Parma last summer. Such were his performances for the Crociati that Juventus made their move for the Swede in January in a deal that could rise to €44m, and importantly decided to let him stay with Parma for the remainder of the season. 

It's a move that benefits all parties, notably Kulusevski, who has shot to prominence with Parma. The 20-year-old has scored five goals and laid on seven assists in Serie A this season to help return a WhoScored rating of 7.07. Of players under the age of 21, only three have made more key passes than the winger (45) in Europe's top five leagues this season, while the Sweden international's 46 successful dribbles ranks sixth using the same parameters. Juventus are renowned for hoovering up the best talent in Italy before selling them on with a buyback option and while the Old Lady have rarely played with wingers this season, Kulusevski will be hoping he can continue his development with the Serie A champions when his loan spell comes to an end. 

7. Patrik Schick (RB Leipzig, on loan from Roma) - 7.11 rating 

Patrik Schick struggled for form and fitness with Roma and, in a two-year stint in the Italian captial, he ended up scoring just five league goals. Last summer, RB Leipzig secured his services on loan and while the Czech forward has endured an ankle injury that has restricted him to just 10 league starts, Schick has made the most of his opportunities afforded to him by head coach Julian Nagelsmann. 

Now ahead of Yussuf Poulsen in the pecking order, Schick has forged a fine strike partnership with Timo Werner and has seven league goals to his name as RB Leipzig push for domestic and continental glory. RB Leipzig have the option to make his move permanent at the end of the season and it's one they'll likely take up, especially if Werner does leave for pastures new having been heavily linked with a move to Liverpool. 

6. Chris Smalling (Roma, on loan from Manchester United) - 7.11 rating 

In the same summer Schick left Roma, Chris Smalling made the move to Italy, swapping Old Trafford with the Olimpico. Much maligned at Manchester United, Smalling has shone in the darker shade of red of Roma, with his performances at the heart of the defence returning a WhoScored rating of 7.11. 

The 30-year-old has been dominant aerially in his debut campaign in Italy with his 3.7 aerial duels won per game more than any other Serie A defender this season, reinforcing a statistically calculated WhoScored strength of 'aerial duels'. Roma are looking to make his move permanent this summer and understandably so with Smalling a first team regular under head coach Paulo Fonseca. United are demanding a hefty fee, and it may be that Roma have to cough up £25m to make the switch permanent. 

5. Sergio Reguilon (Sevilla, on loan from Real Madrid) - 7.14 rating 

The first of three Real Madrid players to make up the top five, Sergio Reguilon made 13 league starts for Los Blancos last season, yet the big money summer arrival of Ferland Mendy saw the Spaniard shipped on loan to Sevilla. And he has grasped the opportunity of regular first team action with both hands as his WhoScored rating (7.14) suggests. 

Whereas Mendy and Marcelo have struggled for consistency at left-back under head coach Zinedine Zidane, Reguilon has blossomed under the stewardship of former Los Blancos and Spain boss Julen Lopetegui. Pressing forward well without a second invitation, the 23-year-old has had a direct hand in five league goals for Sevilla this season, providing four assists, as returns of 1.6 key passes and 1.7 successful dribbles per game highlight his notable offensive output. 

4. Mauro Icardi (PSG, on loan from Inter) - 7.15 rating 

The second Ligue 1 based representative in this list, Mauro Icardi's goalscoring form has gone off the boil in recent months, with the Argentine netting just three times in his last nine Ligue 1 outings, yet the striker has done enough to warrant a regular first team spot at the expense of PSG's record goalscorer Edinson Cavani. 

Icardi was linked with a host of big named sides last summer with PSG winning the race to secure his services and he has done plenty right to help form part of the French side's awesome foursome attack involving himself, compatriot Angel Di Maria, Neymar and Kylian Mbappe. PSG have the option to make his move permanent for an eye watering €70m at the end of 2019/20, which, despite the fee, seems likely at this point. A WhoScored rating of 7.15 is respectable for his debut campaign in a new league, with his 12 league goals contributing to that return. 

3. Coutinho (Bayern Munich, on loan from Barcelona) - 7.27 rating 

Coutinho's dream move to Barcelona has turned into a nightmare. 18 months after his £142m arrival from Liverpool, the Brazil international secured a loan switch to Bundesliga giants Bayern Munich. Under Niko Kovac, Coutinho was a first team regular, yet he has lost his spot in the side since Hansi Flick succeeded the Croat at the Allianz Arena helm. However, Coutinho has still done enough to garner a WhoScored rating of 7.27 in the Bundesliga this season. 

Eight goals and six assists is a respectable return for the former Liverpool man, who is having a direct hand in a league goal every 99 minutes. That said, Bayern have already rejected the opportunity to make his move permanent and a Premier League return is on the cards. Liverpool have moved to distance themselves from reports of a potential move to Anfield, but Chelsea, Arsenal, Manchester United and Tottenham would all jump at the chance to bring Coutinho back to England this summer and with Barcelona open to selling the out of favour attacker; it's likely the 27-year-old will be back in England's top tier before too long. 

2. Martin Odegaard (Real Sociedad, on loan from Real Madrid) - 7.29 

To many, Martin Odegaard is viewed as the perfect successor to Luka Modric at Real Madrid and his form in a Real Sociedad shirt shows how far he has come since his high profile arrival in Spain in 2015. Like Estupinan, Odegaard is nearing the halfway point of a two-year loan spell of his own with La Real, yet Los Blancos have the option to bring the Norwegian back to the Bernabeu this summer. 

No player has won possession in the attacking third more times than Odegaard (26) in LaLiga this season, which has helped boost his reputation in Spain. The 21-year-old has four goals and five assists to his name in Spain's top tier and is one of only three players to yield a perfect WhoScored 10 rating in a LaLiga match this season, doing so in Real Sociedad's 4-1 home win over Eibar back in November. Having joined as a highly rated teenager almost six years ago, Odegaard is now living up to the billing as he continues to shine in Spain. 

1. Achraf Hakimi (Borussia Dortmund, on loan from Real Madrid) - 7.36 rating 

Topping the loanee list is superstar right-back Achraf Hakimi who has continued to shine on his loan stint with Borussia Dortmund. The Moroccan sensation is one of only four players to register 10 or more assists from open play in Europe's top five leagues this season as Hakimi excels when he does press forward having garnered a WhoScored rating of 7.36 this season. 

Rounding off the Real Madrid contingent, Los Blancos have plenty of top quality talent out on loan this term and the performances of their young diamonds in the rough will appease head coach Zinedine Zidane. Hakimi has been heavily linked with a move away from Real Madrid over the summer, with Chelsea in particular monitoring his situation, yet with first choice right-back Dani Carvajal now 28, the LaLiga powerhouse should look to bring Hakimi back to Spain and keep him there as he has the means to hold down the first team right-back spot for years to come.