5 Most valuable players based on their current market values

The prices in the world football transfer market have risen exponentially in the last few years. It is no wonder that being a football club owner is a tough task, but great rewards only come with great risks. The risks of investing millions into players are equalled with the rewards of winning the title or giving the team a push in the right direction.

Today's trends suggest that clubs are not afraid to splurge on the right players. However, a marketplace is a business avenue and eventually, there are going to be winners and losers in the market.

A player's market value resembles that of a stock market, rising and falling due to various variables during his playing career. Let us look at the most valued players in today's transfer market.

Note All values and statistics from Transfermarkt.

#5 Harry Kane- €150 million

The English striker is considered one of the best strikers in the game and is rightly valued at €150 million.

He was an Arsenal academy player but swapped for Tottenham Hotspurs at a very young age. Kane first played for a local club, Ridgeway Rovers, and joined the Arsenal youth academy when he was eight years old.

According to Liam Brady, who was then in charge of Arsenal's academy, he was released after one season for being "a bit chubby" and not "very athletic".

Kane was born in Galway and was eligible for the Republic of Ireland through his father, but in August 2014 he chose to break into the England senior team.

The Lanky English captain has found the net 19 times and provided 9 assists in 33 games this season and his individual awards certainly corroborate with his current market value.

Mauricio Pochettino in one of his interviews , “It’s fantastic the way Harry works, his character and personality. He deserves all the praise and I am very pleased for him.”

#4 Mo Salah- €150 million

Salah is a surprise entrant on this list to many a reader, but Transfermarkt reports that the Egyptian Winger is worth €150 million.

Salah started his senior career with Cairo club El Mokawloon, in the Egyptian Premier League in 2010, departing shortly thereafter to join Basel for an undisclosed fee. In Switzerland, he starred as he won the league title in his debut season, winning the SAFP Golden Player Award in the process. Salah's performances then attracted Premier League side Chelsea, and he joined the club for an £11 million fee in 2014. However, he was used sparingly in his debut season and was allowed to leave on loan to Serie A clubs Fiorentina and Roma, with the latter eventually signing him permanently for €15 million. He turned out to be a steal in the ever inflating transfer market, with Liverpool signing him for a mere £34 million.

The Puskas awardee is the focal point of Liverpool's attack. So far, he has scored 16 goals and 8 assists in 28 games this season. He has been named African Player of the Year for the second time in succession.

#3 Lionel Messi- €160 million

Unlike Balon d'Or, Lionel Messi cracks the top three on this list. The high-flying Argentinian needs no introduction and he is valued at €160 million.

During his early years, he was a part of Newell's "Machine of '87" team, a nearly unbeatable side which scored more than 500 goals.

This team used to perform tricks during the half-time to appease the home crowds. During the 2002-03 season, he became an integral part of Barcelona's greatest youth team i.e."Baby Dream Team". Soon, he received offer to join Arsenal but he chose to stay put in Barcelona as Pique and Fabregas moved to England.

"This Barca will be remembered as Messi’s Barca. He’s well above anything else I’ve ever seen. He’s an alien." - Messi's former team-mate Carles Puyol.

He is believed by many to be the best player to ever touch a football. The 31-year-old has scored 21 goals and has provided with 13 assists in 20 games this season and looks to continue his purple patch.

#2 Neymar- €180 million

Neymar came into prominence at an early age at Santos and made his professional debut aged 17. Neymar was twice named the South American Footballer of the Year, in 2011 and 2012, before moving to Europe to join Barcelona.

As part of Barca's attacking trio with Lionel Messi and Luis Suárez, he won the continental treble of La Liga, the Copa del Rey, and the UEFA Champions League, and came third for the FIFA Ballon d'Or in 2015 for his performances.

He followed it up by attaining a domestic double in the 2015–16 season. In August 2017, Neymar transferred from Barcelona to Paris Saint-Germain in a move worth £200million, making him the most expensive player ever. In France, he claimed a domestic treble of Ligue 1, Coupe de France, and Coupe de la Ligue, and was voted as the Ligue 1 Player of the Year.

The Brazilian was the subject of two high-value transfers subsequently from Santos to Barcelona and from Barcelona to PSG. The tricky forward has scored 19 goals and provided 14 assists in 25 games so far and is now worth €180 million.

#1 Kylian Mbappe - €200 million

The French wonder kid is worth €200 million. Kylian Mbappe made his debut for AS Monaco in 2015, at the age of 16. The youngster is the hottest property in the market as of now.

Mbappe started his career in the youth academy in Bondy, further moving to AS Monaco and then making his super-expensive transfer to PSG. In the 2018/19 season, he has scored 18 goals and provided 11 assists in 25 matches so far for PSG.

One of his youth coaches at AS Bondy, Antonio Riccardi, stated :The first time I coached him was when he was six years old. You could tell he was different. Kylian could do much more than the other children. His dribbling was already fantastic and he was much faster than the others. He was the best player I've ever seen in 15 years coaching here. In Paris there are many talents but I'd never seen a talent like him. He was what we call a 'crack' (the best).

At the tender age of 20, who knows what more is in store for him?

Edited by Kingshuk Kusari