The CIES list shows how much a club would have to pay to sign a player in the five major European leagues and highlights the places taken by stars like Mbappé, Rashford, Messi and Ronaldo.
With a new year just around the corner and the January transfer window open, the CIES Soccer Observatory has published its latest list of transfer values.
The list of CIES shows how much a club would have to pay to sign a player in the five major European leagues, based on advanced algorithms determined by key factors such as the age of the player, the duration of his contract, the financial situation of his club, previous transfers, fees, etc.
The list is intended to provide a stable approach in a market that is unstable at best, with elite football currently in uncertainty with the rest of the world from the pandemic. COVID-19.
As with any formula used to create a ranking, there are some results that can grab attention and raise questions, but when the most important factors are taken into account, the list generally makes sense.
After covering the Top 100, we’ll share the most interesting moves:
Rashford is the most valuable player in the world
According to the algorithm of the CIES Football Observatory, Marcus Rashford is estimated as the most valuable player in world football with a transfer value of 165 million euros (204 million dollars). With 14 goals in 25 games this season (including a Champions League hat-trick against RB Leipzig) and a three-year deal with Manchester United, the 23-year-old is at the top of the list for Borussia Dortmund’s Erling Haaland (who is in second place by value of 152 million euros). However, it is worth noting that Rashford’s supposed value is significantly lower than that of the player who topped the list, published in June 2020 …
Mbappé loses first place
Kylian Mbappé led the latest CIES list with an estimated transfer value of € 259.2 million. It was even noted that the 22-year-old Paris Saint-Germain star’s value exceeded his teammate Neymar’s world record transfer fee (€ 222 million). With just 18 months to go on his contract with the Parisian giants, Mbappé’s estimated worth has fallen to € 149.4 million, dropping him to fifth place.
Haaland with the largest increase
Haaland is the biggest rising star in the Top 20. The prolific Borussia Dortmund striker jumped from 15th place (€ 107.3 million) to second place (€ 152 million) in six months. It’s a phenomenal rise in the standings for the 20-year-old, who has averaged one goal per game since arriving in Dortmund a year ago (33 goals in 33 games).
Alexander-Arnold remains the dominant defender
Along with Rashford and Haaland on the podium, Liverpool’s Trent Alexander-Arnold remains the most expensive defender in the world (€ 151.6 million) ahead of Bayern Munich fullback Alphonso Davies (€ 139 million) and the center-back. from Manchester City, Rúben Dias (127 million euros). Dias wasn’t even in the Top 100 the last time CIES results were released, just six months ago, but he’s been impressive since leaving Benfica for € 68 million in September.
Rashford isn’t the only United player to do well on the latest CIES list, and Bruno Fernandes is also in the top five with an estimated worth of € 151.1 million. The Portugal international has climbed 12 places since CIES published its last ranking in June, when he was 17th on the list with a value of 104.9 million euros. Fernandes is the most valuable attacking midfielder in the world, with Kai Havertz (136 million euros) in 10th place representing his closest competitor. However, the fact that CIES has rated Havertz and his Chelsea teammate Timo Werner (11th place, 135.1 million euros) over Liverpool’s Mohamed Salah (12th place, 134 million euros) shows that the formula can deliver some strange results. .
A bright spot in a rather sad season for Arsenal is the young Bukayo Saka. The 19-year-old England international is with an estimated value of 116.2 million euros the most expensive adolescent player in the world and is therefore 15th on the general CIES list. Davies and Haaland were among the top teen idols when the data was last released, but both players turned 20.
In June, Fernandes (€ 104.9 million) was estimated to have a transfer value twice that of Paul Pogba (€ 50.6 million). In 2021, the rift between the two United midfielders has become a huge space, with Pogba breaking out of the Top 100. Scotsman in 84th place with a value of 59 million euros.
Pogba isn’t the only superstar to break out of the Top 100, as incredible as it may sound, Cristiano Ronaldo has suffered a similar fate. Despite some excellent club-level performances with Juventus (including 18 goals in 15 games this season), Ronaldo was ranked 131st on the CIES stock list with a transfer value of just € 47 million. This is largely due to his age (35) and the relatively short term of his contract with Juve, which expires in the summer of 2022.
Messi manages to sneak into the list
Lionel Messi has also slipped in the standings when he entered the last six months of his contract with Barcelona. As rumors of his impending departure from Barça grow stronger, the 33-year-old Argentina international is currently worth € 54 million, putting him in 97th place. Lewandowski, the recent winner of the FIFA Best Male Player award, is in 55th place with a value of € 72.1 million.
Ederson still number 1 under number 1
As in June, Ederson Moraes of Manchester City remains the most expensive goalkeeper in world football (€ 79.6 million), with Marc-Andre ter Stegen (€ 70 million) from Barcelona and Alisson Becker from Liverpool (65). , 7 euros) as its biggest rivals.
Reyna takes Pulisic’s place as the US contingent grows.
Six months ago, Christian Pulisic was the only American on the list. Now Giovanni Reyna and Weston McKennie join him among the 100 most valuable players. Reyna, valued at € 78.9 million ($ 97.4 million), is ranked 46th on the list, the same spot Pulisic held last time, not bad for an 18-year-old. Chelsea striker Pulisic’s injury has dropped him on the list (€ 69.8 million), midfielder McKennie has risen to the Top 100 (€ 54.2 million) after his impressive loan spell at Juventus.