Spanish outfit Rayo Vallecano must be kicking themselves for the rather minimal fee they received for one of their star men. A simple £2m paid by Swansea City for, at the time, a 26-year-old who's move to the quiet hills of Wales seemed nothing other than ambitious. But nobody would predict the sheer impact Michu would have on the white side of the Welsh territory.
The inclusions of Robin Van Persie, Luis Suarez, Juan Mata and Gareth Bale were heavily expected to appear on the shortlist for this year's most prestigious individual footballing prize, and many more believed that Swansea's talismanic Spaniard would also pave his name into the reckoning, but this appears to not be the case. Mata's Belgian teammate Eden Hazard and Manchester United's midfield lynchpin Michael Carrick make up the six up for the award.
It begs the main question as to what else Michu could have done to earn the respect of his fellow professionals. With a more-than-impressive record of 21 goals from 38 appearances in all competitions under Michael Laudrup's management, the 27-year-old has exceeded all expectations when bought for the measley £2m. Further to this, he also acquired his first professional winner's medal guiding his Swansea side to a Capital One Cup victory over giant-killers Bradford City, scoring three goals in six competitions matches.
While Michu has been receiving all the plaudits for leading Swansea's charge this season, his exclusion from the 40th anniversary of the award is a mystery to the masses. His commitment to the cause has seen him sign a one-year contract extension at the Liberty Stadium despite a host of clubs in England and Spain preparing big money moves to acquire his services. This should scare off any potential buyers who, according to boss Laudrup, would have to pay a fee in excess of £30m. If a bid of that nature was lodged, Michu would have increased his value 15 times and all in a season's work.
The biggest surprise on the shortlist is Carrick. The experienced centre-midfielder has enjoyed a prosperous spell back in the United line-up making 41 appearances and once more proving his worth with an impressive string of performances. Eden Hazard is also another surprise but his impact on the Chelsea has really hit the headlines. At 22, the Belgian has really stamped his authority in that midfield which is becoming more and more creative by the minute. But whilst it's understandable as to why all six candidates deserve their place, the man most deserving has failed to make an impact of the Premier League's most important talents.
Michu's 17 league goals, making him the 4th highest goalscorer, have gone unaccounted for. His exclusion is an unjust insult to his value as a Swansea City player. However, with a trophy, worldwide interest and a new found love in Wales, I'm pretty sure Michu's more than content out of the limelight and focusing on what he does best - football.
