Real Madrid star Kroos takes dig at Premier League money chasers
- Premier League clubs outspend European rivals
- Kroos says money doesn't guarantee success
- Real Madrid remain kings of Europe
WHAT HAPPENED? The midfielder argued that English teams have underperformed in Europe despite the huge sums invested by Premier League clubs, particularly in the summer 2022 transfer window. Kroos was part of the Real Madrid side that beat Liverpool in last year's Champions League final to pick up the European Cup for the fifth time in his career.
WHAT HE SAID: "TV money has been significantly higher in England for years and yet it hasn't resulted in English teams winning everything," he told the OMR podcast. "Thank God not all players look only at salary but also at winning many titles and to grow more."
THE BIGGER PICTURE: Premier League clubs enjoyed a record-breaking summer window, spending a total of £1.9 billion on players to beat the previous record of £1.4bn set in 2017. Clubs in the English top flight spent more than those in Spain's La Liga, Italy's Serie A and the German Bundesliga combined.
STORY IN THREE PHOTOS:
WHAT NEXT FOR REAL MADRID? Kroos and Real Madrid begin the defence of their Champions League crown on Tuesday at Celtic.