5 Premier League players who would be perfect for La Liga
The top-most division in Spanish football, known popularly as La Liga, is typically thought of as a very tactical league that requires teams to field technically gifted players in order to succeed. While technically gifted players are always a welcome addition to any squad and are essentially a pre-requisite to building any team, their whole-hearted association with La Liga is somewhat unjust to the other leagues.
La Liga has always housed some of the greatest midfielders on the planet at any point in time, from Luis Suarez in the 1950s to Xavi in the 2000s. Even now, some of the world's finest midfielders belong to La Liga, including Sergio Busquets and Toni Kroos.
As a result, it is understandable why La Liga is thought to be such a technically sound league, with qualities such as passing and dribbling held in higher regard than physical qualities like pace or strength.
However, that isn't completely true. While it is correct that the footballing culture in Spain has taught its young ones to hone their skills on the ball over anything else - which is why rapid Spanish wingers aren't all that common - the league in general appreciates abilities of all kinds, almost equally.
In fact, as many as 4 Premier League teams' midfielders made more key passes this season than La Liga's leader in that regard - Real Madrid.
Clearly, the notion that La Liga is all about keeping possession and playing aesthetic football is one that needs to be uprooted from our minds, even though it is not entirely incorrect. Consequently, there are plenty of footballers in the Premier League who could make it to La Liga and enjoy great success there too.
Premier League players who could shine in La Liga
Let's take a look at the same. Needless to say, world-class players like Kevin De Bruyne and Virgil van Dijk have not been considered as they would likely be perfect in any league.
#5 Emi Buendia (Norwich City)
Norwich might have been relegated quite embarrassingly this season, but if one of their players is bereft of any blame whatsoever, it is Emiliano Buendia. The Argentine has been a creative force in midfield all season, racking up 83 key passes so far. He's only behind Kevin De Bruyne, Jack Grealish, and Trent Alexander-Arnold in that statistic.
Unfortunately for Buendia and the Canaries, those key passes haven't turned into goals all that often, which is why they find themselves rooted to the bottom of the table. In fact, Buendia only has 7 assists in the league so far. On the other hand, Son Heung-min has 10, despite making less than half the key passes Buendia made.
Clearly, his team's woeful season is by no means Buendia's fault, and his ability to create chances in bulk with great accuracy means that he would walk into most La Liga teams. His previous experience with Getafe and the Real Madrid academy will come in handy.
#4 Enda Stevens (Sheffield United)
30-year-old Enda Stevens is the perfect left-back for anyone wanting to build a team revolving around offensive minded full-backs flying up and down both flanks. The Irishman brings a lot of things to the table - immense stamina, good pace, superb quality on the ball, and the ability to deliver a wicker cross or dribble his way past trouble. He's a real asset to giant-slayers Sheffield United and is easily one of the most under-appreciated left-backs in the world.
Stevens averages nearly an interception and 1.5 clearances every game, along with 1.4 dribbles, which proves how well-rounded he is as a footballer. He's directly contributed to 6 goals this season and has also helped his team keep 13 clean sheets. His passing is pretty nifty and he never misses a game.
Stevens' quality, coupled with his dependability, makes him ideal for any La Liga team looking for an experienced left-back.