Tax rise shifts the balance of power from England to Spain
Thursday, August 6, 2009 @ 11:58 AM
When four English teams muscled into the last eight of the Champions League in March, there appeared to be no disputing that the Barclays Premier League was the world’s most powerful. The best players had been flooding to these shores for years, citing the packed stadia and the rich history as their reasons, while happily compiling small fortunes. Continental craft had been added to speed and aggression and it was proving an irresistible thrill for anyone with football in their veins...
...The poor financial climate, the weakness of the pound against the euro and imminent tax changes can all take their share of the blame for making the Premier League a little less attractive. In Spain, footballers will continue to pay a 24 per cent temporary non-resident’s tax as opposed to the 43 per cent top level for residents after their Congress voted against abolishing the special rate this summer. From next April, players in England
will pay 50 per cent top rate.
Read the full article here