Clubs: Real Racing Club, Real Madrid CF

UEFA honours
UEFA European Under-19 Championship: runner-up 2010
UEFA European Under-17 Championship: winner 2008

• An attacking midfielder who can also play wide on the right, Canales sampled international success with Spain at the 2008 UEFA European Under-17 Championship in Turkey before he had appeared at club level.

• A product of Racing's youth system, Canales made his debut for his home-town club as a substitute in a UEFA Cup first round tie against FC Honka Espoo on 18 September 2008.

• Made no Liga starts in 2008/09 but enhanced his already burgeoning reputation with six top-flight goals the following season, including both of his team's efforts in a 2-1 win at Sevilla FC.

• That prompted Madrid to agree an undisclosed fee with Racing for the then 18-year-old in February 2010 − a move which became official on 1 July, a few weeks before he scored once in four outings as Spain finished runners-up at the UEFA European U19 Championship in France.

• Started Madrid's first Liga game of the 2010/11 season, a goalless draw with RCD Mallorca, four days before he scored on his U21 debut in a 2-1 defeat of the Netherlands.