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It has come as no surprise how much money Europe's finest clubs are willing to spend just to get the right recruits for their team. But how much money is the right money? Case in point - Real Madrid's initial bid for Kylian Mbappe started off with €160 million, which was rejected.
Their second bid was a whopping €200 million, which was again rejected. Who decides the valuation of a particular player? How did they come to that conclusion?
The CIES Football Observatory is a research group within the International Center for Sports Studies (CIES), an independent study center located in Neuchâtel, Switzerland. The CIES Football Observatory specializes in statistical analysis of football. It was created in 2005 by Dr. Raffaele Poli and Dr. Loïc Ravenel. Their mission is to advance the frontiers of knowledge for the sustainable development of football worldwide.
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Since 2013, the CIES Football Observatory has developed a powerful econometric approach to assess the transfer value of professional footballers on a scientific basis. You can access it here. This tool presents price ranges for all top-five league players with a sufficient level of experience.
On that note, take a look at the top 5 most valuable footballers in the world right now, according to CIES:
#5 Florian Wirtz (Bayer Leverkusen) - €133 million
Florian Wirtz took the world by storm when he became the youngest Bundesliga goalscorer at 17 years, 34 days old against Bayern Munich in June 2020. He may have since lost this record to Borussia Dortmund’s Youssoufa Moukoko (16 years and 28 days).
However, Wirtz added another feather to his cap when he became the youngest player in Bundesliga history to score at least 10 goals aged 18 years and 146 days.
Wirtz, in the current Bundesliga season, has played 16 matches, netting five goals and eight assists. This speaks highly of not just his goalscoring abilities but also his skill as a playmaker, making him a really special player indeed and further justifying his €133 million valuation.
Manchester United have been linked with interest in snapping him up. Will they be able to strike a deal with the German club in the summer? We'll have to wait and watch.
#4 Mason Greenwood (Manchester United) - €134 million
Manchester United have an enviable reputation for giving youngsters a chance to come up the ranks. So it was no surprise when Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, the former United manager, decided to place his faith in Mason Greenwood.
And Greenwood did not disappoint, becoming the club's youngest goalscorer in European competitions at 17 years and 353 days. However, the 20-year-old is off to a slow start in the 2021-22 season, scoring just four goals and contributing one assist after 15 games.
There is no doubt about Greenwood's ability as a player for the big stages and the interest from clubs like Arsenal and Juventus is proof of that. But with interim Manchester United boss Ralf Rangnick's recent comments about him, will he be on his way out?
The Englishman is currently valued at €134 million by the CIES and it remains to be seen if his future lies away from Old Trafford in the near future.
#3 Erling Haaland (Borussia Dortmund) - €142.5 million
The €142.5 million man has established himself as one of Europe's most prolific center forwards, terrorizing defenders with his goal scoring spree.
He caught the attention of Borussia Dortmund while at Red Bull Salzburg - where he scored an astonishing 29 goals in 27 appearances. Since joining the Bundesliga club, he has been ruthless. As such, Haaland has attracted interest from some of Europe's biggest clubs in recent times.
Notably, the Norwegian striker was also the winner of the Golden Boy award in 2020. Despite his exorbitant CIES valuation, Haaland will be available for just €75 million in the summer due to a release clause in his contract.
#2 Phil Foden (Manchester City) - €152.6 million
In an all-star Manchester City team, making your individual presence felt is no mean feat. But this has been a cakewalk for Phil Foden, who won the Under-17 FIFA World Cup with England, while also being named the Player of the Tournament.
This widespread attention catapulted Foden straight into the England Under-21 squad and he was subsequently named in the senior squad for Euro 2020.
Pep Guardiola takes immense pride in Foden and claims he will not be sold considering he is the torchbearer for players graduating out of City's youth academy. The England youngster is on a roll for City, scoring five goals and assisting three after 13 matches this season.
The CIES has valued Foden at a whopping €152.6 million, a testament to his quality and potential.
#1 Vinicius Junior (Real Madrid) - €166.4 million
The Brazilian is valued at €166.4 million, beating Phil Foden and Erling Haaland to the top spot. He's had a remarkable start to the season - long criticized for his lack of ability in front of goal, things are finally clicking for him.
Vinicius, who was born and raised in Rio de Janeiro, debuted for Flamengo at the age of 17 before moving to the Santiago Bernabeu at the age of 18.
He took his time finding his footing, but he's now one of the world's most dangerous forwards. In 25 appearances this season in both La Liga and the Champions League, he has 12 goals and nine assists.
The Brazilian is on an upward trajectory and it is evident that Real Madrid would like to capitalize on this and keep him for many years. His valuation by CIES may only serve their purpose unless the giants of the transfer market such as PSG and Manchester City enter the race to sign him.
