January 4 – Real Madrid star Jude Bellingham is the most valuable player in world football at €267.5 million according to the latest report by the CIES Football Observatory. Manchester City’s Erling Haaland ranks second at €251.2 million and Vinicius rounding out the top three.
The new valuations showing a massive ballooning of player valuations. In contrast to the estimates released last June, the count of players valued over €100 million has nearly doubled, surging from 20 to 39.
This surge highlights the steep inflation in player valuations observed during the summer 2023 transfer window. Notably, the estimated worth of the hundredth highest-valued player has risen to €71.3 million, marking a considerable increase from the €53.4 million valuation recorded in June 2023.
CIES said that their statistical model, which is based on more than 6,000 paying fee transactions, allows them to accurately predict the transfer fees that clubs are likely to pay, given the prices invested in the past for players with similar characteristics.
The valuation update has raised the question as to whether England and Real Madrid star Jude Bellingham will become the first €300 million valued player.
For reference, you could buy the entirety of Everton FC for about €650 million.
The big surprise from the valuations was the placement of Kylian Mbappe, with the French superstar valued at a low €106 million due to the looming expiration of his contract at PSG, placing him below the likes of Darwin Nunez and Marcus Rashford.
That said, Mbappe, who is Ligue 1’s top scorer with 18 goals (leading the golden boot race by 10 goals), tops the valuations of Ligue 1 players despite his contract situation. It is clear that when he signs a new deal in the summer, be it with PSG or a new club, Mbappe’s name will return to near the top of the list.
Real Madrid hold five of the top 20 most valuable players, With Bellingham, Vinícius Junior and Rodrygo Goes sandwiching Haaland in the top four. Federico Valverde and Eduardo Camavinga round out Madrid’s involvement in the top 20.
11 of the top 20 are from PL clubs, headlined by four Man City players, three arsenal players, two Liverpool players, one Chelsea and one Manchester United player.
As for the other leagues in the Europe’s big-5, Jamal Musiala (Bayern Munich) heads the rankings for the German Bundesliga, Khvicha Kvaratskhelia (SSC Napoli) for Italy’s Serie A.
Outside the big-5, António Silva (SL Benfica) is ahead of Gonçalo Inácio (Sporting CP) and Endrick Felipe (SE Palmeiras, on loan from Real Madrid).
To see the full data, click here.
Contact the writer of this story, Harry Ewing, at moc.l1714752617labto1714752617ofdlr1714752617owedi1714752617sni@g1714752617niwe.1714752617yrrah1714752617