Data experts at CIES Football Observatory released a list of the most valuable young players pursuing their careers across Europe’s top five leagues: Premier League (England), LaLiga (Spain), Bundesliga (Germany), Series A (Italy) and Ligue 1 (France).
CIES used their own algorithm to determine which players could pay the highest transfer fees when they moved to the club and divided them into six different positions: goalkeeper, centre-back, full-back , defensive midfielders, attacking midfielders and strikers.
The study included the top 10 players in each position as calculated by CIES using a proprietary econometric model that scrutinized key criteria such as age, experience level and contract status to estimate potential transfer value.
The Premier League can boast the most number of players on the list (17), while the Bundesliga (14) and LaLiga (12) are not far behind. Bayer Leverkusen is the club with the most players with six, followed by Barcelona (5) and Chelsea (4). However, both Barcelona and Borussia Dortmund Each team has the highest rated players in two different positions.
To qualify, all players must have played in the Big Five league and be under the age of 23 as of December 1, 2021.
– ESPN+ guide: LaLiga, Bundesliga, MLS, FA Cup, more (US)
– Daily ESPN FC live stream on ESPN+ (US only)
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Presented in euros, this is the estimated transfer value per player as of the next available transfer window (January 2022).
Goalie
⛔ Gianluigi Donnarumma #UCL pic.twitter.com/KA3vlaBeQ0
– La UEFA (@UEFAcom_it) November 30, 2021
Gianluigi Donnarumma, 22 (Paris Saint-Germain): Estimated transfer value of 80 million euros ($90 million)
Already a European champion and won 40 caps for the Italian team, Donnarumma is established as one of the best goalkeepers in world football with more than 200 appearances in the top tournaments named after him. during his time playing for the club as a teenager. AC Milan and PSG, where he arrived as a free agent in the summer.
He became the first goalkeeper to be named UEFA’s player of the tournament at the European Championship, conceding just four goals in seven appearances in the Azzurri’s win at Euro 2020, when they won. won on penalties in both the semi-finals and the final.
Donnarumma – ranked 2nd among the world’s top goalkeepers in ESPN’s FC 100 rankings for 2021 – is also the current holder of the Yashin Cup presented by France Football to the best goalkeeper in the world within the framework of the tournament. annual Ballon d’Or award. .
Illan Meslier, 21 (Leeds United): 40 million euros
Dogan Alemdar, 19 (Stade Rennais): 15 million euros
Luis Maximiano, 22 (Granada): 15 million euros
Etienne Green, 21 (Sanctuary of Etienne): 15 million euros
Alban Lafont, 22 (Nantes): 10 million euros
Giorgi Mamardashvili, 21 (Valencia): 8 million euros
Kristoffer Klaesson, 21 years old (Leeds United): 8 million euros
Julen Agirrezabala, 20 (Athletic Bilbao): 7 million euros
Ivor Pandur, 21 (Hellas Verona): 7 million euros
central defender
Home is where the heart is. pic.twitter.com/FQRV2L4n4R
– FC Barcelona (@FCBarcelona) June 1, 2021
Eric Garcia, 20 (Barcelona): 80 million euros
After studying at Barca’s famous La Masia academy, Garcia moved to City of Manchester in 2017 to finish her apprenticeship. He made 35 first-team appearances for Man City after making his debut in 2018, winning the 2020-21 Premier League title in the process.
He then returned to Camp Nou on a free transfer last summer, rejoining Barca on a five-year deal with a €400m release clause, so it’s unlikely Garcia will return any time soon. despite the large increase. its transfer value.
Josko Gvardiol, 19 (RB Leipzig): 80 million €
Matthijs de Ligt, 22 (Juventus): 70 million €
Alessandro Bastoni, 22 (Inter Milan): 60 million €
Ronald Araujo, 22 (Barcelona): 50 million euros
Oscar Mingueza, 22 (Barcelona): 50 million euros
Piero Hincapie, 19 years old (Bayer Leverkusen): 40 million euros
Maxence Lacroix, 21 years old (Wolfsburg): 40 million euros
Trevoh Chalobah, 22 years old (Chelsea): 40 million euros
Odilon Kossounou, 20 (Bayer Leverkusen): 40 million euros
Defender
🔴 Alphonso Davies at Stamford Bridge 🔥#Canada Day | @AlphonsoDavies pic.twitter.com/tnaYJJbeNB
– UEFA Champions League (@ChampionsLeague) July 1, 2020
Alphonso Davies, 21 (Bayern Munich): 120 million €
Davies has enjoyed a meteoric rise over the past few years after emerging from the fringes of Bayern’s reserves to prove himself on the biggest pitches, with his astonishing pace beating many. attack and terrorize the opponent defenders.
NS Canada international – ranked 2nd among the world’s top left-backs in ESPN’s FC 100 rankings for 2021 – has won numerous Bundesliga and DFB-Pokal titles as well as the 2019-20 Champions League, but he still shows talent and potential to continue to grow for many years to come.
Sergino Dest, 21 years old (Barcelona): 100 million euros
Reece James, 22 (Chelsea): 100 million euros
Nuno Mendes, 19 (Sports CP, loan at Paris Saint-Germain): 40 million euros
Mitchel Bakker, 21 years old (Bayer Leverkusen): 40 million euros
Jeremie Frimpong, 21 years old (Bayer Leverkusen): 30 million euros
Pierre Kalulu, 21 years old (AC Milan): 30 million euros
Royal Emerson, 22 (Tottenham Hotspur): 30 million euros
Luke Thomas, 20 (Leicester City): 25 million euros
Adrien Truffert, 20 (Stade Rennais): 25 million euros
Defensive midfielder
Jude Bellingham, 18 years old (Borussia Dortmund): 120 million euros
A player who was seen a number of jerseys retired in his honor as a teenager after leaving boyhood club Birmingham City, Bellingham played his way into the England squad after become a fixture in the heart of Dortmund.
Just to complete the package, the calm and composed teenager has added a steady stream of goals to his repertoire, scoring three goals and eight assists in all competitions. up to this point – includes two tectonic lines in Saturday’s 3-2 loss to Bayern Munich (replay on ESPN+ in the US).
Curtis Jones, 20 (Liverpool): 70 million €
Eljif Elmas, 22 (Napoli): 70 million €
Declan Rice, 22 (West Ham United): 70 million €
Eduardo Camavinga, 19 (Real Madrid): 60 million €
Sandro Tonali, 21 years old (AC Milan): 50 million euros
Tyler Adams, 22 years old (RB Leipzig): 40 million euros
Aurelien Tchouameni, 21 (AS Monaco): 40 million euros
Conor Gallagher, 21 years old (Chelsea, loan at Crystal Palace): 30 million euros
Pape Sarr, 19 years old (Tottenham Hotspur, loan at Metz): 30 million euros
Attacking Midfielder
First player under the age of 18 to score 5 goals in the Bundesliga
This is the moment Florian Wirtz made history ✨📖 pic.twitter.com/89vxaUnN4f
– English Bundesliga (@Bundesliga_EN) February 8, 2021
Florian Wirtz, 18 years old (Bayer Leverkusen): 140 million euros
ONE child prodigy In the truest sense of the word, Wirtz became the first 17-year-old to score five Bundesliga goals when he did so for Leverkusen in February. Before that, he became the youngest scorer of the German top flight team (17 years and 34 days) in June 2020.
Since then, the industrious midfielder has continued to be in prolific form, adding eight goals and 11 assists for his club this season as well as earning his first senior international call-up. his first under new Germany coach Hansi Flick.
Pedri Gonzalez, 19 years old (Barcelona): 140 million euros
Kai Havertz, 22 (Chelsea): 100 million euros
Bukayo Saka, 20 (Arsenal): 100 million euros
Mason Mountain, 22 years old (Chelsea): 90 million euros
Jamal Musiala, 18 years old (Bayern Munich): 90 million euros
Emile Smith Rowe, 21 years old (Arsenal): 90 million euros
Brahim Diaz, 22 (AC Milan): 50 million euros
Sofiane Diop, 21 years old (AS Monaco): 40 million euros
Christoph Baumgartner, 22 years old (Hoffenheim): 40 million euros
Striker
Erling Haaland in the Bundesliga:
51 games
51 goalsBuilt differently pic.twitter.com/a9ORXEwORu
– ESPN FC (@ESPNFC) December 4, 2021
Erling Haaland, 21 years old (Borussia Dortmund): 150 million euros
One of the most phenomenal and formidable strikers on the planet, Haaland is still averaging more than one goal per game for Dortmund in all competitions, scoring 72 of 71 appearances since moving to the club Germany in January 2020.
As a physical giant with an amazingly prolific track record, it’s no surprise that Haaland – ranked #2 among the world’s top strikers in ESPN’s FC 100 rankings for 2021 – is back. coveted by some of Europe’s biggest clubs. And they could even sign him for half of CIES’ estimated transfer fee next summer, when a release clause is reported to come into force allowing him to leave Westfalenstadion for just €75m. .
On note that, Kylian MbappeHis value would certainly be higher on this list if it weren’t for his contract at Paris Saint-Germain which expires next summer.
Vinicius Junior, 21 years old (Real Madrid): 150 million euros
Phil Foden, 21 years old (Manchester City): 150 million euros
Mason Greenwood, 20 (Manchester United): 140 million €
Jadon Sancho, 21 years old (Manchester United): 130 million euros
Ferran Torres, 21 years old (Manchester City): 120 million euros
Joao Felix, 22 (Atlético Madrid): 100 million euros
Kylian Mbappe, 22 years old (Paris Saint-Germain): 80 million euros
Moussa Diaby, 22 years old (Bayer Leverkusen): 80 million euros
Yeremi Pino, 19 (Villarreal): 80 million €
