LaLiga is “superior” to Premier League, says Pellegrini
The Premier League far outspent all other European leagues in the January transfer window, but that doesn’t necessarily make it the best league.
Does having more money really make a league better? Well, in some sense, yes. Real Betis head coach Manuel Pellegrini put it nicely when talking about the Premier League’s spending in the January transfer window (and most recent transfer windows).
“My opinion is that the richer a league is, the more powerful it will be,” said Pellegrini. “Because the best players arrive, and that is what happens in the Premier League for different reasons.”
The Premier League is the only one of the top five European leagues to increase media rights. Others either decreased or stayed the same.
“The TV rights are much bigger than here with Spanish television,” Pellegrini continued. “If only the Spanish teams could have the same purchasing power as the English teams.”
Premier League outspends all other clubs in January window
In the 2022 Summer transfer window, the Premier League spent quadruple the amount on transfers as LaLiga. In the January window, the Premier League outspent the Bundesliga, Serie A, Ligue 1, and LaLiga combined.
Premier League clubs spent a record £815m in the January transfer window. That’s an 83% increase from last January’s record of £150m. Chelsea led the way with a British record £106.8m spent on World Cup winner Enzo Fernandez and signed Mykhailo Mudryk from Shakhtar Donetsk in an £88.5m deal.
“You have the spend of the Premier League on a net basis at £1.5bn over the course of the season and then when you look at the other big five leagues as a collective, they’re actually in a net receipts position – so they’re actually receiving more from the sale of players than what they’re spending on players, which is quite stark (compared) to what you see in the Premier League,” said Calum Ross, assistant director in Deloitte’s Sports Business Group.
Pellegrini, who has coached teams in Spain and England, still believes that Spanish soccer is “superior” to English soccer, despite their gallant spending and star power.
“For me, the best league in the world is the English one because of the assistance to stadiums, the soccer fields, the money, how competitive it is, for the direct soccer that for the fans is so attractive,” said Pellegrini.
“But if you ask me where better soccer is played, I say Spain. It is where the ball runs with more technical ability, though maybe not as quick. But then you look at the European trophies, and the Champions League and Europa League…they are won by Spanish teams. One time English teams were there.”
“They are two different leagues, each one with good and bad things. The English league is very complete, but technically, the Spanish league is much superior.”