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Football transfer valuations have been going through the roof in recent times despite the COVID-19 pandemic wreaking clubs' finances.
The market values of some of the players are simply exorbitant. If a player is not in form, their hefty price tag can put them under enormous pressure.
Nevertheless, many players from Europe have largely managed to live up to their huge price tags courtesy befitting performances. On that note, let's take a look at the most valuable European XI at the moment.
Most valuable European XI (formation 4-3-3)
Considering a 4-3-3 formation, let us have a look at our hypothetical most valuable European XI..
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Jan Oblak (Goalkeeper) - €90 million
When it comes to goalkeepers, Jan Oblak has proven himself to be one of the most reliable.
The Atletico Madrid No. 1 has delivered consistently impressive performances since moving to the capital club. He has won the prestigious Ivan Zamora trophy (for the lowest goals per game in a La Liga season) four times in the last five campaigns.
Slovenia have not qualified for a major international tournament since the 2010 FIFA World Cup. Thus it's a shame Oblak doesn't play as much international football as he would have liked to.
His current valuation of €90 million is not bad at all for a goalkeeper, as shot-stoppers are usually the least-paid players in a team .
Trent Alexander-Arnold (Right-back) - €110 million
Despite being only 22, Trent Alexander-Arnold has established himself as one of the best right-backs in the world.
The England international epitomises the modern-day full-back. He is fast, has great vision to deliver pin-point crosses, and makes seamless transitions from defence to attack.
Trent Alexander-Arnold's accurate deliveries from set-pieces have helped him become a regular free-kick taker for both club and country. That has also seen him rack up a lot of assists in the Premier League.
He holds the record for the most assists (13) provided by a defender in Premier League season, doing so in Liverpool's title-winning campaign in 2019-20.
Trent Alexander-Arnold's impressive performances have seen his current market value soar to €110 million.
Matthijs De Ligt (Centre-back) - €75 million
When a player wins the Golden Boy Award, there are always high expectations on them. One such player is Juventus defender Matthijs De Ligt, who became the first defender to join the likes of Lionel Messi, Kylian Mbappe and Paul Pogba, doing so in 2018.
De Ligt secured a move to Juventus from Ajax at the start of last season; he has been a rock at the back for them since then. Despite a few injury spells, but when he's fully fit, he is usually the best defender on the pitch.
The Old Lady paid €75 million in 2019 for his services, and it is only a matter of time before De Ligt's value moves up.
Virgil Van Dijk (Centre-back) - €80 million
Dutch international Virgil Van Dijk is the most expensive defender in the game at the moment. Along with his compatriot De Ligt, Van Dijk forms one of the most expensive centre-back duos in the sport.
Arguably considered the best centre-back in the world, Van Dijk came close to becoming onlt the second defender to win the Ballon d'Or award in 2019. However, he missed out on the coveted trophy by just seven points to Lionel Messi.
Van Dijk is a vocal and commanding presence in the heart of the Liverpool defence. With the addition of Sadio Mane and Mohamed Salah, the Reds became a force to be reckoned with. But Van Dijk proved to be the final piece of the puzzle, as his presence improved their overall game.
This season, his absence for large swathes of this campaign has coincided with Liverpool's decline.
Andrew Robertson (Left-back) - €75 million
It's perhaps no surprise, that Scottish left-back Andy Robertson is the third Liverpool defender in our hypothetical list. The former Hull City full-back has improved significantly under Jurgen Klopp at Anfield, and is now one of the most complete left-backs in the game.
Andrew Robertson has formed a deadly partnership with Alexander-Arnold, which was key to Liverpool's title winning-campaign last season. He provides great width on the flanks, and possesses an incredible engine that allows him to move up and down the left flank tirelessly.
At €9.2 million, Liverpool signed him for a bargain in 2017, as his current market valuation is estimated to be €75 million.
Also Read: The 10 highest-paid goalkeepers in the world.
Joshua Kimmich (Defensive midfielder) - €90 million
Though Robert Lewandowski has been the standout player for Bayern Munich over the last two seasons, Joshua Kimmich has played an equally important role for the club in the middle of the pitch.
The 26-year-old German midfielder has blossomed into one of the finest players in his position. Kimmich continues to impress with his ball control, distribution skills and ability to read the game.
He has a penchant of finding space in midfield, and is also very adept in winning the ball in key positions. Kimmich has seen his reputation grow by leaps and bounds over the last few seasons, and so has his transfer value.
Bruno Fernandes (Left Attacking midfielder) - €90 million
One of the players who had an amazing 2020 campaign is Manchester United's talisman Bruno Fernandes. The player, who secured a move from Sporting Lisbon to Old Trafford in January 2020 in a deal worth €55 million, is now one of the most in-form players in Europe.
The Portuguese midfielder has had an amazing start to life at the English club, for whom he has been in fine goalscoring form. Fernandes has already been involved in 50 goals across all competitions for the Red Devils, and is the top-scoring midfielder in Europe this season.
He is now worth almost twice what Manchester United paid for him in January last year. If his purple patch continues, the sky is truly the limit for Bruno Fernandes.
Kevin De Bruyne (Right attacking-midfielder) - €120 million
Vision and ball-distribution skills are two key attributes for any creative midfielder. Manchester City's Kevin De Bruyne has been blessed with both in abundance.
The Belgian playmaker is one of the best passers of the current generation, as he picks up perfectly weighted passes for his teammates.
De Bruyne has yet again hit double digits in assists this season. He is on track to match his own record of 20 assists in a single Premier League campaign as City march towards another league title.
The Belgian is currently valued at €120 million, which makes him the joint-most valuable player in the Premier League alongside Sadio Mane, Mohamed Salah and Harry Kane.
Also Read: 5 most supported football clubs in the world.
Jadon Sancho (Right winger) - €100 million
Only the second representative from the Bundesliga in our list, Jadon Sancho takes the right-wing spot in this hypothetical XI.
The former Manchester City youngster has set the pitch on fire with his quick feet, silky skills and an eye for goal.
Though he is only 20, Sancho is one of the key players for the German club. He makes things tick for them in the final third and also helps out in the middle of the park as well.
Sancho was snapped up by Die Schwarzgelben for €9.2 million in 2017. Now, the biggest question on everyone's mind is whether the player will return to England this summer.
While Dortmund have made huge profit by selling some of their young stars, jettisoning the €100 million-rated star at this point of time could do them more harm than good.
Raheem Sterling (Left winger) - £115.2 million
When it comes to the attacking department, England currently enjoy a surplus of players, as Raheem Sterling is one of the best wingers in the game at the moment.
The former Liverpool star has come of age under Pep Guardiola at Manchester City, and has been one of their key players over the last few seasons. Sterling has stepped up in the absence of Sergio Aguero to keep the goals coming for the Cityzens.
His pace, ability to wriggle out of tight spaces and good dribbling skills make him a very difficult opponent to play against, especially near the penalty box. While he is currently valued at €110 million, that is actually a drop from his all-time high of €160 million in 2019.
Kylian Mbappe (Striker) - €180 million
A future Ballon d'Or in the making, Kylian Mbappe does not need an introduction.
The 22-year-old forward has all the skills to be one of the greatest players of our generation. He is super fast, is extremely good with the ball at his feet, and can time his runs to perfection. Mbappe is clinical in front of goal too.
At the FIFA World Cup in 2018, Mbappe delivered on the big stage, even scoring a goal in the final against Croatia to help his side lift the prestigious trophy, doing so at the tender age of only 18.
Kylian Mbappe has been doing really well at Paris Saint-Germain, where he has been improving his game with every passing season.
He is rightly the most valuable player in the world right now, with a market value of €180 million.
Also Read: 10 football players with the most fans in the world.
