May 15 – Real Madrid superstar Kylian Mbappé leads a new CIES Football Observatory ranking of the 100 players over the past two windows whose transfers now represent the biggest potential capital gains for their current clubs.
The French attacker, who joined Real Madrid on a free transfer last summer, is now valued at €182.5million by the CIES’s statistical model, putting him well ahead of the rest of the field and giving Madrid the clearest-cut example of elite-level value creation in recent football history – largely through their ability to attract players who are out of contract, the latest being Liverpool’s Trent Alexander-Arnold.
Behind Mbappé, the surprise name in second is Dean Huijsen, the Bournemouth centre-back and newly capped Spain international, who has seen his value skyrocket Over the course of the season. Signed for a modest fee last summer, the 19-year-old is now rated €68.5m. The figure does not account for any hidden clauses or buy-back arrangements that may have been negotiated during his transfer, particularly with Juventus, where he came through the youth system.
The Spaniard is on the verge of joining Real Madrid when the transfer window opens, having already entered negotiations with the club who are willing to activate a supposed £50m release clause.
Completing the podium is Manchester City’s Brazilian winger Savinho, whose potential capital gain stands at €59.9m having also been signed at an affordable fee one year ago, thanks to his former club Girona falling under City Group’s ownership.
FC Bayern’s French winger Michael Olise and Fiorentina striker Moise Kean round out the top five, with potential gains of €47.8m and €41.7m respectively.
Just outside the top five are João Neves and Desire Doué, both of whom are expected to start in the UEFA Champions League final for PSG at the end of the month and are now each valued at over €100 million.
Another name drawing growing attention is Hugo Ekitike, currently at Eintracht Frankfurt and valued at €71m. The former PSG forward has attracted interest from Liverpool and Arsenal and could soon make another move that delivers a major windfall for his current club, who already collected a €75m profit from the sale of strike partner Omar Marmoush to Manchester City in January.
Contact the writer of this story, Harry Ewing, at moc.l1747326971labto1747326971ofdlr1747326971owedi1747326971sni@g1747326971niwe.1747326971yrrah1747326971