Manchester City’s Erling Haaland, who has hit 52 goals in 52 games this season, is now the world’s priciest player, valued at 245.1m euros (£211.2m), according to a new study.
Second and third spots in the CIES Football Observatory’s recent report went to Real Madrid’s Vinicius Jr and Arsenal’s Bukayo Saka respectively.
Jude Bellingham, a midfielder from Borussia Dortmund, secured the fourth position, while the top-rated player from outside Europe’s top five leagues was Benfica defender Antonio Silva.
The CIES Football Observatory employed a wide range of factors to construct a scientific model, estimating the 100 most valuable players. The model considered over 2,000 transfers involving payments from clubs in the five leading European leagues from July 2012 to November 2021. Contract length with current clubs, age, national team goals, assists, and appearances also influenced the results.
Haaland’s Value Skyrockets
Haaland, the 22-year-old Norwegian international, is now the world’s costliest player after a spectacular season with Manchester City. He won the Premier League’s Golden Boot award with 36 goals in 35 appearances, helping City retain their Premier League title. Moreover, he aided in their FA Cup victory after his £51.2million move from Borussia Dortmund last summer.
Haaland’s value could surge even further if City defeat Inter Milan in the Champions League final, achieving a remarkable treble. His current contract with City runs till summer 2027.
Saka’s Rising Star
Bukayo Saka, Arsenal and England forward, 21, has witnessed a rapid ascent to become one of the most respected players globally. The home-grown talent made his Premier League debut in January 2019 and has been a key player for his childhood club since the 2019-20 season.
According to the CIES metrics, Saka is the third most valuable player, with a potential price tag of 195.8m euros (£168.7m). Arsenal recently secured Saka with a new contract valid until May 2027.
Vinicius Jr, 22, of Real Madrid, is marginally ahead of Saka in the rankings, valued at 196.3m euros (£169.1m). His current contract with Los Blancos will end in summer 2024. Intriguingly, the CIES study suggested that Vinicius’ value would rise to 314.9m euros (£271.3m), surpassing Haaland, if his contract were extended beyond three years.
Teen Prodigies
Jude Bellingham, 19, who has demonstrated considerable leadership qualities with Borussia Dortmund, is fourth on the list with an expected worth of 190.2m euros (£163.9m).
Domination by the Big Five
Antonio Silva, a Benfica centre back, priced at 89.5m euros (£77.1m), is the most valuable player outside the big five leagues, ranked 23rd in the list.
Upcoming Good Deals
According to the CIES model, some attractive deals may be available in the forthcoming summer transfer window.
Alexis Mac Allister, a Brighton midfielder and World Cup winner, 24, expected to be worth 78.4m euros (£67.5m), could be transferred for a sum under £50m. Conversely, Bayer Leverkusen is allegedly asking around £65million for winger Moussa Diaby, who is valued at 56.7m euros (£48.8m) by the CIES report.
