Not sure how I would perform in your league, but I wouldn't fear the challenge. I've set the bar by teams like those in your league. If I should make it back to the WCC, we will see how they do against the best of them.
What i actually meant is that, if you want to compete with teams like that, you will have to get more quality players (buying them or raising them), and more quality means more expenses, when you get them or after you completely raised them, and a competitive team like that can't have 40 players. You can have 40 players if you want (i would too) but not 40 maxed players, and at this level, playing 90 minutes with a CA4 player is paid with many lost points, that's all i meant.
If you want to succeed at international level, you will eventually have to change your focus and you will have to get rid of many players, keeping only the really good ones (not less than CA6, considering CA6 players as substitutes) and a squad like that takes high expenses, there's no way to avoid high wages in that situation.