As we eagerly await official transfer announcements, "here we go" updates, and transfer rumors, we present the latest update of the Football Benchmark Player Valuation platform. This time focusing on the players whose market value has changed the most since the start of the 2023/2024 season.
Noteworthy Increases in Market Value Since September
Bayer Leverkusen, under Xabi Alonso's guidance, currently holds the first position in the Bundesliga, boasting an unbeaten streak of 16 games (13 wins and 3 draws). The club's dominance extends to a flawless Europa League group stage, having netted 19 goals while conceding a mere 3.
During this stellar run, two stars have shone brightly: Victor Boniface and Florian Wirtz. The 23-year-old Nigerian striker, blazes a trail with 16 goals and 8 assists across 23 appearances in all competitions, propelling his market value by nearly €32 million since September. Leverkusen's number 10, German attacking midfielder Florian Wirtz, has contributed with 8 goals and 12 assists in 23 appearances, elevating his market value by €17.53 million. The Leverkusen roster boasts additional noteworthy surges in market value, including Jeremie Frimpong (+€13.41 million), Exequiel Palacios (+€12.72 million), and Amine Adli (+€10.68 million).
Leverkusen’s summer signing, Victor Boniface, holds the distinction of being the oldest player among the top ten, having just celebrated his 23rd birthday in December. On the other end of the spectrum, Paris Saint-Germain's rising talent, Warren Zaïre-Emery, is merely 17 years old, while the youngest contender on the list is 16-year-old Lamine Yamal.
Xabi Alonso isn't the only manager delighted with a new signing's form. Marco Rose, Pep Guardiola, and Carlo Ancelotti are also pleased with the performances of their summer acquisitions during the initial phase of the season. Xavi Simons, currently on loan from Paris Saint-Germain, has had a fantastic start to his Leipzig career, boasting 6 goals and 9 assists, resulting in a €25.95 million surge in his value and securing the third spot in our rankings.
Jérémy Doku, Manchester City's third-costliest summer recruit, seamlessly integrated into Guardiola's system, notching two goals and providing 5 assists in the Premier League, with an additional goal and assist in the Champions League. His market value surged from €60 million to €80.3 million, securing the fourth spot on our roster.
Real Madrid recently extended Carlo Ancelotti's contract until 2026, but that's not the only reason the Italian manager has for celebration. Despite a lengthy list of injured players, Real Madrid is at the top of LaLiga and has won all its games in Champions League Group C. One of the key contributors to the Spanish giants' excellent form this season is unanimous: Jude Bellingham. The English international is presently valued at €170.5 million, marking a rise of €16.55 million since September and securing his position as the world's second most valuable player, following Erling Haaland, valued at €194.3 million, and preceding Vinícius Júnior, whose market value stands at €160.7 million.
Interestingly, within the top ten list, LaLiga boast 4 players, the German Bundesliga claim 3, while the English Premier League, Ligue 1, and Eredivisie each have 1 representative.
Prominent Decreases in Market Value Since September
Among the downturns, four Manchester United players feature in the list of footballers witnessing the most substantial value dips since September. Jadon Sancho holds the second position in this top 10 list, with a decrease in value of €19 million. Sancho hasn't played for United since August and had a falling out with Erik Ten Hag in early September after responding to comments made by the manager regarding his training performances. Antony, Mason Mount, and Casemiro are the other three players on the list, with market value decreases of €11.3 million, €10.6 million, and €10.5 million respectively.
Despite finishing last in their Champions League group and presently languishing in eighth place in the Premier League, fans might anticipate a brighter future for Manchester United following Sir Jim Ratcliffe's agreement to buy a roughly $1.3 billion stake in the club.
Leading our downtrend rankings is FC Barcelona's Gavi, with a €19.23 million market value decrease following a severe injury that has sidelined him for the remainder of the season. Despite this setback, Gavi maintains his position in the top 10 most valuable players globally, with a valuation of €116.3 million, securing the tenth spot just behind Victor Osimhen, who is valued at €117.5 million, and Pedri, whose market value stands at €119.5 million.
Kylian Mbappé holds the fourth spot on the list, with his value decreasing by €16.35 million since last September. The 24-year-old French forward has less than six months remaining on his contract at Paris Saint-Germain, significantly impacting his current market value as he is now free to enter talks with any club. Due to his excellent form this season – scoring 22 goals in 23 games for his club – he retains the position of the fourth most valuable player in the world, valued at €151.3 million, ahead of Jamal Musiala (€139.8 million), Bukayo Saka (€137.0 million), and Phil Foden (€124.8 million).
Two players on the list have been banned from playing football in the coming months. Sandro Tonali, Newcastle United's second most expensive signing to date, received a 10-month ban for breaching Italian betting regulations. The Italian midfielder played his last game in October against Borussia Dortmund in the Champions League, and his market value has decreased by €15.56 million since last September. Nicolò Fagioli of Juventus FC also received a seven-month ban for breaching rules on betting on matches. The midfielder had only made six appearances for Juve this season, and his market value decreased by €11 million.
Notably, the roster of top ten decliners is dominated by the Premier League with 6 players, accompanied by 1 player each from LaLiga, Ligue 1, Serie A, and the German Bundesliga.
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Football Benchmark’s Player Valuation platform monitors market values for over 10,000 players from 23 leagues (English Premier League, English EFL Championship, Spanish LaLiga, Spanish LaLiga2, German Bundesliga, German 2. Bundesliga, Italian Serie A, Italian Serie B, French Ligue 1, French Ligue 2, Portuguese Primeira Liga, Turkish Süper Lig, Dutch Eredivisie, Belgian Pro League, Brazilian Serie A, Argentina Primera División, Austrian Bundesliga, Russian Premier Liga, Saudi Professional League, Danish Superliga, Swiss Super League, Scottish Premiership, Liga MX) and from several top teams in other leagues.
