The Premier League may be flooded with head-spinning broadcast revenue, but according to Deloitte, in 2019 the two largest revenue generators in world football were Real Madrid, and Barcelona. The economic might a consequence of European success, but also substantial commercial growth, and remarkably, continued brand expansion. Not to be completely outdone, Atleti held strong at 13th – wounded by early Champions League exits, but sustained by revenue brought on by the club’s move to the Wanda Metropolitano. Therefore, it was largely predictable that both a dramatic and frenetic transfer window was about to play out in Spain.

For Barca, extravagant spending has become the norm – recent seasons have seen substantial outlays on Philippe Coutinho (€145m), and Ousmane Dembele (€125m), as well as transfers in the range of €40m on players such as, Malcom, Clement Lenglet, Paulinho, and Nelson Semedo. It seemed unlikely this would suddenly stop in 2019-20, and true to form Barcelona continued to splash money on the likes of Antoine Griezmann (€120m), and Frenkie de Jong (€75m) – not to mention the club’s reported pursuit of Neymar Jr. from Paris Saint-Germain. Barcelona has the benefit of past domestic success, and the understanding that it is Real Madrid, and Ateltico that have work to do in order to catch them at the top of the table. However, in Europe the disappoints have come fast and furious in recent seasons, and winning the treble remains the ultimate goal as Lionel Messi approaches the twilight of his career. As to whether or not Barcelona has done enough to put themselves over the top remains unclear, but at this juncture the board has reaffirmed its commitment to spending on elite talent.