The slowdown in the La Liga transfer market has been the subject of much conversation in the Iberian Peninsula lately, and the figures relating to it paint what many see as a worrying picture for Spanish football.
While the Premier League have often outspent La Liga in the past, for a time they could be counted on to be second on this list, as was the case recently in 2021. Still, according to Diario AS, five other leagues have spent more than La Liga (252 million euros) this summer: Premier League (1.449 billion euros), Serie A (573 million euros), Ligue 1 (494 million euros), Bundesliga ( 451 million euros) and especially the Saudi Pro League (442 million euros).
This is one of many surprising figures, like the fact that Real Madrid have spent more than the rest of the league combined. In total, La Liga made €340m in sales, meaning they made €88m in profit, but many clubs are still struggling to meet their wage limits, with wages clearly representing a much larger share of their costs.
Furthermore, it is pointed out that Arsenal (€231m) is close to La Liga’s total and that without Real Madrid’s spending, La Liga’s spending would actually be closer to that of the Portuguese league (111 millions of euros). Los Blancos didn’t sell anyone for cash which means their entire spending is a loss and by far the biggest one. Villarreal are the team with the highest net profit (98 million euros), while FC Barcelona are second on this list with 62 million euros.
Real Sociedad, Real Betis, Athletic Club and Osasuna have yet to spend any money on transfer fees, despite finishing in the top half of the table last season. Seven teams have a negative balance, with Athletic Club and Osasuna tied.
La Liga have defended these figures saying they have only balanced income and expenditure, noting that a league’s success is not defined by expenditure, but rather by its long-term viability. Ligue 1 and Serie A clubs have both benefited from tax delays granted by governments.
It should also be pointed out that more and more players are receiving high salaries and moving freely. Likewise, if La Liga regularly loses quality, it may be more difficult to attract players to the league.
