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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.
#3 Nathan Ake (AFC Bournemouth)
Much like Buendia for Norwich, Nathan Ake has been a rare shining light for Bournemouth in what has been a hugely disappointing season. Although the Dutchman does not have the mind-boggling statistics that Buendia does, his impact is there to see whenever he steps on the pitch.
Nathan Ake is very much the quintessential modern-day center-back. He's physically robust, doesn't shy away from making a tackle, is handy when it comes to attacking set-pieces, and can pass the ball very well. His ability to play at left-back is another characteristic of his that deserves plaudits.
Most importantly, La Liga has been kinder to short center-backs than the Premier League ever will, which is why it is easy to see the 5'10" tall Ake succeed there. Shorter players like Djene and Nacho have had great La Liga careers already and continue to do so. Ake could also excel in La Liga.
#2 Luka Milivojevic (Crystal Palace)
A set-piece specialist has value in any team. That being said, Luka Milivojevic offers a lot more than a nicely curled free-kick and a confidently taken penalty. The 29-year-old Serbian is not going to catch up with a speeding forward by any stretch of the imagination, but will do just about anything and everything else.
Milivojevic is a brilliant passer of the football who keeps things ticking in midfield very efficiently. His stamina is perhaps the most undervalued aspect of his game, as he can play with the same level of intensity from the first minute to the last. The midfielder is defensively solid, and has done most of his good work this season in that department, averaging 2 tackles per game.
Milivojevic would be ideal for La Liga clubs like Villarreal and Sevilla who prefer their defensive midfielders to be technically brilliant rather than defensively impenetrable. He balances his contributions in both departments quite well, and would likely be a hit in Spain's La Liga.
#1 Adama Traore (Wolverhampton Wanderers)
At his best, Adama Traore is basically unstoppable. He's one of the fastest and also one of the strongest footballers in the world at the same time - a deadly combination. He's nearly impossible to nudge off the ball and just as difficult to catch when he's running at full speed.
As incredible as he already sounds, his greatest asset hasn't even been mentioned yet! It is indeed his dribbling skills that set him apart from any other player in his mould. Traore has over 180 successful dribbles in the Premier League this season, head and shoulders ahead of any other player. Only Wilfried Zaha has over 150 alongside Traore.
The only two complaints against him were his lack of direct goal contributions and inability to perform consistently at the highest level. While the former has been taken care of, as Traore has upped his direct goal contribution from 2 last season to 13 this time, the latter remains a concern.
Regardless, at only 24 years of age, Traore will be worth investing in for any top club - especially the La Liga ones. His playing style is perfect for the Spanish way of playing the beautiful game. Also, he's no stranger to Spanish football either, having spent all his youth with La Liga club Barcelona's La Masia, even making a few appearances for the senior side.
