Re-Ranking La Liga's Best Players After Gareth Bale's Arrival

It's been a busy summer of transfer activity around Europe, and while La Liga saw a far greater flow of talent heading out of the country than coming in, the league still benefited from the arrival of two world-leading talents in Neymar and Gareth Bale.

With Bale's transfer supposedly setting a new world record at €100 million, per BBC Sport, and Neymar one of the most hyped talents in recent years, there will still be plenty of media attention on the league.

While it may not be the strongest league in terms of depth, there can be no doubt that Spain boasts many of the true superstars of the world game. But, which are the best?

Let's, then, take a look at the top six players La Liga has to offer for the 2013-14 season.

6. Xavi Hernandez (Barcelona)

There is very little left to say about Spanish great Xavi that has not yet been repeated to the point of boredom in recent years. Indeed, the word "metronomic" now almost instantly conjures an image of the Barcelona star in the heads of football fans worldwide.

The statistics are astonishing. Xavi made 2,886 passes in La Liga last season, 837 of which were in the final third, with a success rate of 94.8 percent, per WhoScored. In terms of sheer involvement, nobody in world football comes close to such activity in a game.

There is almost nothing he hasn't won, either with Barcelona or the Spanish national side—the Confederations Cup being a notable exception. While Xavi, now 33, may not seem the player of old, a return of five league goals and eight assists last campaign was not bad in anyone's terms.

When he eventually retires, Xavi will be remembered as a true modern great of the game.

5. Gareth Bale (Real Madrid)

He may be the €100 million man, but Bale only makes fifth position on our list—an indication of the phenomenal star power the league has to offer.

The Welshman came exceptionally close to dragging his Spurs side to a top-four Premier League finish last campaign, scoring 21 league goals and providing four assists for Andre Villas-Boas' side.

The powerful left-winger had been tipped to join one of Europe's superclubs for some time, and his exceptional season only accelerated that process, with Real Madrid making him a major summer target.

Los Merengues don't often fail to get their men in the transfer market, and Bale was duly signed—but not before a protracted negotiation that saw his price reach incredible heights.

4. Neymar (Barcelona)

Now there is both Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi, but in a few years' time, they will almost certainly be usurped by the golden boy of Brazilian football, Neymar.

The second-striker-cum-wide-player has been exceptional in his performance levels in Brazil for some time but has always faced doubts from observers in Europe. His Player of the Tournament showing at the Confederations Cup, though, has gone a long way to silencing those doubts.

Soccerway records Neymar as having scored 107 goals in 180 league games in his career to date, while his 13-in-25 record in the notoriously difficult Copa Libertadores is also outstanding. Add in the assists, for which figures are not so easily available, and his influence is clear.

Neymar will be a major success in La Liga and has a great team in which to shine at Barcelona. The only question will be whether he is content to play second fiddle to Lionel Messi long term.

3. Andres Iniesta (Barcelona)

Barca midfielder Andres Iniesta has always been the man for the big occasion, having shone in the finals of major tournaments with both club and country—including scoring a World Cup-winning goal in 2010.

The playmaker is regularly the man to come to the fore for his club and, last season alone, racked up an incredible 16 league assists in La Liga. With a pass completion that remains above 90 percent, despite his directness, his quality is clear for all to see.

Xavi is the man who helps Barcelona build attack after attack throughout the game, and Lionel Messi is the man who finishes those moves. When all is not going to plan, though, it has often been to the creative instincts of Iniesta that the Blaugrana have turned.

With both Messi and Neymar looking to feed off his delivery this campaign, it will be no surprise if Iniesta eventually goes even better this season.

2. Cristiano Ronaldo (Real Madrid)

Portuguese forward Cristiano Ronaldo is the man who, in most eras, would be the clear standout player of his generation. Thanks to Messi, though, he is forever regarded as the second best of his time.

There is no part of forward play that Ronaldo is not outstanding at. He is an excellent dribbler, can hold the ball up, shoots well and is a major threat in the air. He is, perhaps, the most complete forward football has seen.

The 28-year-old has scored 147 league goals since his arrival at the Santiago Bernabeu just four years ago, with those goals coming in a remarkable 138 La Liga games, per Soccerway. With a total of 202 goals in 202 games in all competitions, he is on course to smash all sorts of records in the coming years.

Ronaldo may have lost his world record for the highest transfer fee paid to new teammate Bale this summer, but he remains the main man at Real Madrid.

1. Lionel Messi (Barcelona)

The debate regarding his place in the pantheon of all-time greats should perhaps be left until retirement, but Messi's incredible influence on what has been one of the greatest club sides ever is undeniable.

The winner of four consecutive Ballon d'Or titles, Messi has already claimed individual records for himself that many thought would never be broken. In 2012, at the age of 24, he became Barcelona's all-time top scorer, per the Daily Mail.

The 2012-13 season brought another astonishing return of 46 goals and 12 assists in La Liga, cementing his continuing claim to be the best player in world football. The year before, amazingly, he hit 50 league goals in just 37 games.

The Argentine can win games for his side single-handedly but is fortunate to play among a team of incredible players. When he does come to be ranked against the greatest ever, he will surely emerge favourably from the process.