The world’s 100 most-valuable footballers revealed with new Premier League star
The CIES Football Observatory has ranked Paris Saint-Germain forward Kylian Mbappe the world’s most valuable footballer.
The Frenchman is valued at £175 million, well ahead of Real Madrid’s Vinicius Jr. and new Manchester City acquisition Erling Haaland.
The Norwegian is the Premier League’s most valuable player, with an estimated value of £130 million, which is more than double the amount paid by City to Borussia Dortmund for the 21-year-old striker.
The only other names from England’s top division to reach the list were his new teammates Phil Foden and Ruben Dias, as well as Liverpool’s Luis Diaz, while Dortmund midfielder Jude Bellingham was placed as the wealthiest Englishman on the list at £114 million.
These names are unsurprising at the top of the list because they are among the best young talents in the world, albeit Mbappe may not have ranked first had he not signed a new three-year contract with PSG in May.
The Premier League has dominated the list, with Manchester United’s Jadon Sancho and Bruno Fernandes, Chelsea’s Mason Mount and Kai Havertz, Arsenal’s Bukayo Saka, and Liverpool’s Trent Alexander-Arnold all ranking in the top 25.
Unsurprisingly, only three of the 41 names are from non-‘big-six’ clubs, namely West Ham defensive midfielder Declan Rice, Everton forward Richarlison, and Crystal Palace center-back Marc Guehi.
Due to the importance of age in determining prices, there is no room for GOAT contenders like Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi, with 30-year-old Kevin de Bruyne of City being the oldest player included, and Barcelona prospect Pablo Gavi being the youngest at just 17.
While the list is only a rough guide, it makes for interesting reading, and it will be interesting to watch whether some of the players prominently connected with a summer transfer move for more or less than their anticipated price.
Manchester United targets Darwin Nunez and Frenkie de Jong have been valued at £59 million and £96 million, respectively. While Nunez’s price matches what Benfica is said to want for the player, Barcelona is said to be holding out for just £70 million for De Jong, though United will still want to negotiate that fee significantly lower.
