Belgian players are the flavour of the month in the English Premier League it seems, and their popularity is probably justified considering the strides the Benelux nation is taking.
But before Belgium came Spain, and when La Furia Roja began their unstoppable ascent to the top of world football, the English Premier League took notice.
For a while, it seemed that every major team in England needed at least one Spaniard in their ranks, and over the past few seasons, a handful of Spaniard’s have lit up the EPL.
One of them, Juan Mata, says that top-quality Spanish imports to the EPL will continue to boost the standard of English football this season.
The overall number of Spanish players plying their trade in the Premier League may have dropped from 28 to 24, but Chelsea star Mata says that in Jesus Navas and Alvaro Negredo- who joined Manchester City- and Roberto Soldado- who joined Spurs- English football has inherited three Iberian ‘cracks’.
And he is delighted to have his compatriots join him in tormenting defences in the English Premier League.
"Personally I'm very happy to see them here and to play against them every now and then,” Mata said of Navas, Negredo and Soldado to Sky Sports News.
"I think it's very good for the league because they are top players - they can score, they can assist and change the game.
"For me Soldado, Navas, Negredo are friends - more than team-mates or rivals - so I'm very happy to see them here. I wish them the best but not when they play against us [Chelsea]."
Mata played with Soldado for one season at Valencia and also with Spain, and he is impressed by the striker start to life at Chelsea’s London rivals Spurs.
"I really enjoyed playing with him at Valencia and in the national team. I think he's doing really well,” he said.
"Last season at Valencia he scored a lot of goals, and this season he's started really well, like Negredo."
Read: City Complete Navas Signing
Read: Spurs Sign Striker Soldado
