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With the COVID-19 pandemic wreaking the finances of football clubs, loan deals have been the flavour of the last two transfer windows.
More and more clubs have preferred to send out or acquire players on loan, with an option to buy, in order to better manage their cash-flows during these uncertain times.
Most valuable on-loan XI this season
With many on-loan players impressing at their new destinations, their parent clubs could look to capitalise on the same and make their transfers permanent.
On that note, let's have a look at the most valuable XI currently out on loan. A 4-1-3-2 formation has been considered for this hypothetical team.
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Goalkeeper - Florian Muller (€4 million)
After making his professional debut for Mainz in 2017, Florian Muller moved to Bundesliga club Freiburg this summer on a season-long loan.
The 23-year-old is already impressing at his new surroundings, keeping four clean sheets in 22 games to help Freiburg to ninth place in the Bundesliga table.
Muller had said on his arrival at Freiburg:
“Sometimes things happen really quickly in football and, despite the short time, I think that a year in Freiburg is a great idea. I’m looking forward to meeting my new teammates and the challenges ahead here at Freiburg.”
Centre-back - Marash Kumbulla (€20 million)
After making his professional debut for Hellas Verona in Serie B in 2018-19, Marash Kumbulla moved to Serie A giants AS Roma at the start of this season.
The 21-year-old Albanian centre-back hit the ground running at his new club, scoring the winner at BSC Young Boys on his European debut.
His performances have attracted the attention of clubs from Italy and abroad, but reigning Serie A champions Juventus have emerged as the frontrunners for his signature.
Making his move to the Bianconeri an even more plausible proposition, Marash Kumbulla had once said about idolising Juventus legend Giorgio Chiellini:
“As a young lad, I had a poster of Chiellini in my bedroom. I’ve always admired his determination and desire to improve. He’s a real warrior on the field."
Centre-back - Danilo Pereira (€24 million)
Although centre-back is not his preferred or usual position, Danilo Pereira slots into this hypothetical XI at the heart of defence.
After making an unexpected loan move from Porto to PSG in the summer, Pereira played all six Champions League group-stage games as a centre-back, owing to injuries to first-team regulars, before sustaining an injury himself.
He has also appeared in 13 Ligue 1 games this season. However, with PSG having a plethora of midfield options at their disposal, Pereira is unlikely to stay at the club beyond the end of his loan spell.
Left-back - Malang Sarr (€16 million)
Originally a centre-back by trade, Malang Sarr has also played a few games as a left-back, a position he will don in our hypothetical XI.
After making his professional debut with Nice, Sarr was bought by Premier League giants Chelsea in the summer. However, the player was immediately loaned out to Porto for the rest of the season.
Sarr is delighted to join Porto, saying in this regard:
“I am very enthusiastic (about moving to FC Porto). It was an opportunity I was looking for, and that is why I am thankful and happy to be here. I feel ready to begin helping the team achieve their objectives.”
The 22-year-old has made 16 appearances in all competitions for the Portuguese club, scoring his lone goal against Pacos Fereira in the Allianz Cup.
The on-loan defender produced a particularly fabulous performance against a star-studded Manchester City in the Champions League, helping his side earn a clean sheet against the likes of Raheem Sterling, Phil Foden and Ferran Torres.
Right-back - Alessandro Florenzi (€15 million)
Alessandro Florenzi arrived at PSG on a season-long loan deal from AS Roma and has already impressed at his new club.
In 26 appearances in all competitions, the Italian right-back has conjured two goals and an assist. He has helped PSG stay in touch with league leaders Lille and make a deep run in the Champions League after a 4-1 win at Barcelona in the first leg of their Round of 16 fixture.
Florenzi had said on his arrival at the French club:
“I am very emotional, I am here with a huge desire to achieve great things, I will try to help the team to do as well as possible. It’s the most important move of my career. The collective objectives will be to help the team to win as often as possible, match after match. And my personal objectives, are to show the coach on a daily basis that I can earn a place for myself in the team.”
With the 29-year-old walking the talk, PSG could make Florenzi's loan move a permanent one at the end of the season.
Defensive Midfielder - Sandro Tonali (€32 million)
Sandro Tonali realised a childhood dream when AC Milan came calling, albeit for a loan move in the summer.
The defensive midfielder was thankful to Brescia for allowing him to join his dream club, saying in this regard:
""I've wanted to wear this jersey for a while. I didn't speak much to Massimo Cellino (Brescia president). But he realised straight away what it meant to me. He said he'd let me make my choice and he kept his word."
Tonali continued:
"More or less everyone supports Milan where I'm from, including my father, who passed that passion onto me as a kid. When I realised there was this opportunity to join Milan, I closed all the other doors. I had to go to Milan. I had to."
The 20-year-old on-loan player has already made 28 appearances in all competitions for the Rossoneri, who have recently been knocked off the Serie A summit by their arch-rivals Inter Milan. He is yet to register a goal or an assist for the club, though.
Often compared with Andrea Pirlo for his similarity in playing styles, Tonali - who is valued at €32 million - could be a permanent fixture for the Rossoneri in the years to come.
Right Midfielder - Federico Chiesa (€48 million)
Federico Chiesa has looked the real deal since arriving at Juventus on a two-year loan deal from Fiorentina.
The versatile 23-year-old, who can don a plethora of roles in the middle and attacking third, has already notched up an impressive 14 goal-contributions (eight goals and six assists) in 28 games in all competitions for Juventus.
His goal in the Round of 16 first-leg defeat at Porto was the first scored by a Juventus player not named Cristiano Ronaldo in the Champions League knockout rounds in the last three seasons.
Andrea Pirlo is understandably full of praise for his on-loan acquisition. After a stellar outing that saw Juventus win at the home of then-league leaders AC Milan, the Bianconeri head coach said about Federico Chiesa:
“We signed him so that he could take on men in the final third. While his position may change, his role does not.”
Left midfielder - Cengiz Under (€23 million)
Arriving at 2015-16 Premier League champions Leicester City on a loan deal from AS Roma, Cengiz Under has impressed at his new surroundings.
The Turkish midfielder has had five goal contributions in 17 games in all competitions for the English club.
The versatile Under, who can play on both flanks, has developed a fine understanding with Leicester City's star striker Jamie Vardy.
However, the 23-year-old on-loan player has struggled for consistent game-time under Brendan Rodgers, who recently said in this regard:
“It’s not easy for him. He gave everything in the game; he was bright, and his improvisation at the end along with Youri led to the winning goal."
Attacking midfielder - Martin Odegaard (€40 million)
Martin Odegaard arrived at Arsenal on a loan deal with a lot of fanfare after struggling for game time at Real Madrid.
Despite playing only five times for his new side, the on-loan player seems to have impressed enough to merit a permanent move to the Premier League side.
Odegaard is yet to score a goal or assist one for the Gunners, but Arsenal head coach Mikel Arteta is all praise for the on-loan player, saying:
"He is a young leader. On the pitch he is showing a lot of character and a lot of intelligence. They are characteristics that a leader should have. He has been here a very short time, but he has adapted very quickly. He is getting more and more respect from the players and the staff and his weight on the team will increase with every week."
Forward - Moussa Dembele (€30 million)
Signed on loan from Lyon in January this year, Moussa Dembele has only played one game for La Liga leaders Atletico Madrid.
However, the Frenchman has been in impressive goal-scoring form, netting 31 cumulative goals in his last two Ligue 1 campaigns.
Dembele has only joined Atletico for the rest of the season. However, the Rojiblancos could make the move permanent by shelling out around €35 million for his services if he makes a good impression.
Forward - Alvaro Morata (€50 million)
Alvaro Morata has had a prolific second homecoming at Juventus since arriving at the Serie A giants on loan at the start of the season.
The Spanish striker has scored 13 goals in all competitions for the Bianconeri, doing so in four different competitions.
Andrea Pirlo was pleased about the impact of Morata, saying in this regard:
"Morata arrived very young at Juventus, and he returned from his experiences in Madrid and London a more mature person and player. He feels happy and free of pressure, so that helps anyone give their best. We wanted him at all costs, and are very happy to have him."
