by Oliver Trust

BERLIN, Aug. 22 (Xinhua) -- Former Germany international and Bayern Munich goalkeeper Oliver Kahn says the Bundesliga has slipped behind the English Premier League and Spain's La Liga.

"The Bundesliga has a competitive level on the international stage but has lost contact with the two leading leagues regarding titles and consistency," the 56-year-old told German media.

Kahn described the Premier League as "the most thrilling address" in terms of sporting quality, financial power, and global appeal.

As the Bundesliga kicks off its 63rd season, statistics back up his view.

According to figures published by Kicker, Premier League transfer spending has doubled over the past decade, from 1.22 billion euros (1.41 billion U.S. dollars) to 2.47 billion euros in 2024. By comparison, the Bundesliga grew from just 410 million to 622 million euros over the same period.

Kicker described Germany's top flight as having become a "development league for the Premier League."

The disparity is fueled by TV rights revenue: Premier League clubs earn 1.95 billion euros annually compared with Germany's 1.1 billion, aided by outside investors. German football, however, remains bound by the "50+1" rule requiring clubs to hold a majority of their own shares.

The difference in financial muscle is evident in the transfer market. Ahead of the 2025/26 season, newly-promoted Sunderland spent more than 150 million euros - double the outlay of Bundesliga champion Bayern Munich.

The English side also lured Granit Xhaka from Bayer Leverkusen, part of a wave of Bundesliga departures including Florian Wirtz, Jeremie Frimpong and Hugo Ekitike (all to Liverpool), Benjamin Sesko (Manchester United), and Jamie Gittens (Chelsea).

This summer, Bundesliga clubs spent around 600 million euros on new players, less than the combined totals of Liverpool (340 million euros) and Chelsea (280 million euros). German clubs have increasingly focused on players in the 20-35 million euro range; young, investment signings rather than proven stars.

The contrast in success is stark: Spanish clubs have won 12 European titles over the past decade, English clubs 10, and German clubs just two.

To bridge the gap, Bundesliga clubs have doubled down on scouting. Dortmund signed Jobe Bellingham from Sunderland for 30.5 million euros, following his brother Jude, who joined Real Madrid in 2023 for 103 million euros after moving from England to Dortmund in 2020. RB Leipzig and Leverkusen also secured several young prospects aged 18-23 from across Europe. ■