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The 2019-20 Serie A season produced its fair share of drama and controversy, as Juventus won their ninth successive Scudetto post lockdown. The likes of Inter Milan, Atalanta and Lazio gave good accounts of themselves but were unable to take advantage of the Bianconeri's slip-ups, as Maurizio Sarri won his first league title as a manager.
The Serie A was the gold standard in European football around two decades ago, as the best players in the world looked to ply their trades in Italy at the time. However, in recent seasons, AC Milan have been in free fall, while Inter have blown hot and cold.
Juventus have dominated the Italian top-flight but have been unable to impose themselves on the European stage, as the Champions League continues to elude the grasp of the Old Lady.
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Nonetheless, several high-profile players currently ply their trades in Italy, with Cristiano Ronaldo's arrival in 2018 seen as a massive boost to the league's global reach. The Portuguese star has aged like fine wine and has been in stunning form since joining Juventus two years ago, having spearheaded them to successive league titles.
Ronaldo, however, does not make the top five when it comes to the most valuable players in Serie A currently. The former Real Madrid man is tenth on the list, with a market value of £54 million.
The fact that Ronaldo even makes the top ten at the age of 35 is proof that he is one of the greatest athletes of his generation, as he continues to defy the odds and bang in the goals for club and country.
On that note, here are the top five Serie A players ranked based on their market values.
Note: All values are correct as of 29th August 2020 and have been taken from transfermarkt.co.uk
#5 Kalidou Koulibaly | Napoli, £58.5 million
Napoli defender Kalidou Koulibaly is fifth on the list, with a market value of £58.5 million. The Senegalese star is one of the best central defenders on the planet and has been a consistent performer at the back for the Serie A side over the years.
Blessed with a outstanding positional sense and a wide array of passes, Koulibaly is also capable of starting plays out from the back, as he continues to be linked with big-money moves from Napoli.
Manchester City are frontrunners to snap him up this summer, but the Cityzens have thus far been unable to agree a deal with Gennaro Gattuso's side. The 29-year-old is reportedly valued at £90 million by Napoli, meaning Pep Guardiola and co will have to break the world-record fee paid for a defender to secure his signature this summer.
#4 Matthijs de Ligt | Juventus, £63 million
Another defender on the list, Matthijs de Ligt has already enjoyed his fair share of success despite being just 21 years of age. The towering Dutch defender captained an exciting Ajax side to a Champions League semi-final and also led them to the league title in the 2018-19 season, as some of the biggest clubs in the world came calling for him.
While it initially looked like he'd secure a move to Barcelona, Juventus joined the race and swiftly completed a deal for him. Having endured a tough start to life in Italy, De Ligt quickly became an indispensable member of the Juventus rearguard and was in stunning form in the second half of the season.
The 21-year-old is also a key player for the Netherlands, having formed a formidable partnership with Liverpool defender Virgil van Dijk. De Ligt is valued at £63 million, making him the top ranked defender on the list.
Also Read: 5 players Andrea Pirlo should bring to Juventus
#3 Lautaro Martinez | Inter Milan, £63 million
Inter Milan striker Lautaro Martinez is one of the most sought-after attackers in world football. The Argentine has struck up a fantastic partnership with Romelu Lukaku with the Nerazzurri and established himself as a key player under Antonio Conte.
Martinez is a tireless worker off the ball and is also a deadly finisher, as he continues to improve his overall gameplay under the tutelage of the Italian. The 22-year-old enjoyed his best season as a senior pro and played an important role in Inter's season, as they finished second on the Serie A standings and were beaten in the Europa League final by Sevilla.
Barcelona are interested in signing Martinez this summer, but the Catalan giants have thus far been unwilling to meet Inter's asking price. As per transfermarkt, the Argentine is valued at £63 million.
#2 Paulo Dybala | Juventus, £72 million
Juventus attacker Paulo Dybala is second on the list, with a market value of £72 million. The Argentine was close to leaving the club last summer, as Manchester United and Tottenham Hotspur explored the possibility of snapping him up.
However, the deal fell through, and the 26-year-old wasted no time in proving his doubters wrong. Under Maurizio Sarri, Dybala forged a fantastic partnership with Cristiano Ronaldo, as the pair spearheaded Juventus to their ninth successive Serie A title.
The former Palermo man has already spent five seasons at Juventus and has won several trophies at the club. At the age of 26, Dybala has time on his side to establish himself as one of the club's greatest players in the modern era, as he continues to endear himself to the fans with his performances.
#1 Romelu Lukaku | Inter Milan, £76.5 million
Romelu Lukaku is the most valuable player in Serie A, as the Inter Milan striker unsurprisingly tops the list after enjoying his most prolific season as a senior pro.
The Belgian striker secured a big-money move from Manchester United last summer and has led the line to devastating effect for the Nerazzurri, with a staggering 34 goals to his name in all competitions.
Lukaku has often been slated for his first-touch and failure to show up in big games, but the fact remains that the 27-year-old has scored bags of goals for each club he has played for so far. The former Manchester United striker formed a fantastic partnership with Lautaro Martinez upfront, as the pair complemented each other efficiently.
With a market value of £76.5 million, Lukaku tops the list of most valuable players in Serie A currently, as he continues to establish himself as an indispensable member for club and country.
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