Transfer power: LaLiga spends €830 million in just 33 days
With Atlético's signing of Joao Félix, the Spanish league is making some big statements to its European rivals once again in the transfer market.
The 2019 summer transfer window is being hit hard by clubs from LaLiga Santander. At the time of writing, 66 new players have been purchases with an unprecedented investment of over 830 million euros. All of this has happened in just 33 days, across which there have also been 67 players sold for the value of 565 million euros. At this rate, LaLiga is on track to double the €934,270,000 spent last summer.
Big spending LaLiga
As it stands, the Spanish top flight has spent more on transfers than the other major leagues: Bundesliga (€518 m), Serie A (€533m), Premier League (€546m), Ligue 1 (€171m) and Liga NOS (€74m). Just the 290 million euros laid out to date by Real Madrid exceeds both the Portuguese and French clubs combined. The 127.2 million paid by Atlético for Joao Félix stands out in this comparison.
Following Los Blancos in expenditure are their neighbours Atleti on 177.2 million euros, Barça on €113m and Sevilla on €92m. Other teams such as Valencia (48 million), Betis (30m), Real Sociedad (21m), Celta (12m), Levante (12m) and Osasuna (10m) are all in the double digits and add to the overall figure. This appears to show a shift in the market moves across the whole league, as many of these clubs would not have previously pushed close to that.
As individual players go, Joao Félix is currently the greatest value investment at €127.2m, then come Hazard (100m), De Jong (75m) and Jovic (60m). Away from the Spanish league, others in this ballpark are Lucas Hernández (80m), Rodrigo (70m) and Ndombelé (60m), with the first two names both leaving LaLiga.
The summer market of 2017 saw Spanish clubs collectively spend less than the other big five leagues in Europe - just 557 million euros - while the Premier registered expenses of 1,369 million, and was considered by many to be pulling away with its financial muscle. Time will tell, but it looks as though Spain is aiming to assert some of its own strength in global transfers, and not only with the perennial two giants of Madrid and Barça.