Despite the situation the w0rld currently finds itself in, there is an overwhelming desire for a return of professional sport as soon as possible.
Football is beginning to explore the ways in which it can get back to some kind of normal and as a result, transfer rumours have begun to resurface ahead of the traditional summer market reopening.
However, the recent pandemic has had a huge impact on the economy and therefore may lead to football clubs having far less to spend on recruitment than they perhaps would’ve had if Coronavirus didn’t exist.
It means player values will have decreased as a result, with many top stars across Europe potentially being available at a bit of a discount once the transfer window opens.
Now more than ever, the old adage ‘a player is only worth what another club is willing to pay’ holds so much truth. Of course, player valuations remain very high, but they will have decreased slightly over the last few months.
So, we’ve taken a look at the Premier League’s most valuable players right now, and there might be a few surprises to some.
Have a flick through to find out how many of your club’s players feature…
20. Jack Grealish – £27.45m
Heavily linked with a move away from Villa Park recently, Jack Grealish’s market value seems a little low when it comes to some of the fees being touted in the media.
If Aston Villa are relegated back to the Championship once the season is concluded, Grealish will almost certainly be on the move for a large transfer fee, and he’ll no doubt go for a lot more than his £27.45m market value.
19. Two Players – £28.35m
Two young, English prospects are up next.
Spurs’ Ryan Sessegnon has struggled to make an impact since his £25m switch from Fulham but has show irregular signs of brilliance.
Chelsea’s Callum Hudson-Odoi has had his development held back by injury but remains one of the most exciting young prospects to come out of the Blues’ academy in recent years.
18. 10 Players – £28.8m
A full 10 players in the Premier League have a market value of £28.80m, most of which may surprise you.
The biggest surprise will no doubt be Chelsea’s Kepa who, at one stage, was the most expensive goalkeeper in the world when the Blues paid £71m for his services in August 2018 – now his market value is just over a third of that fee.
Both Aaron Wan-Bissaka and Felipe Anderson were mega-money signings for Man United and West Ham respectively, both signing for far more than their current market values.
For most of these players, their clubs are almost certainly in line to make a huge loss if they’re to be sold this summer.
17. Two Players – £30.15m
Liverpool duo Joe Gomez and Naby Keita share the same market value of £30.15m.
Gomez arrived at Anfield in a £3.5m switch from Charlton in 2015, so his development has led to a huge increase in market value but Keita’s struggles to make a big enough impact under Klopp has seen his market value decrease significantly.
Following a deal worth more than £50m in 2017, the Reds will be lucky to get even close to a break-even fee if they were to move him in the coming months or years.
16. Six Players – £32.40m
Six Premier League players have a market value of £32.40m and almost all of them are about right, although Sebatien Haller’s market value will still be fuelled by his £45m switch from Frankfurt last summer.
The Frenchman has scored seven goals so far this season and many have questioned whether he was ever worth such a fee in the first place.
Wilfried Ndidi comes as a less of a surprise, though, as his importance to Leicester City has been clear for all to see as the Foxes bid for a top-four finish. If he’s allowed to leave the King Power Stadium in the near future, he’ll no doubt go for more than his £32.40m market value.
15. 10 Players – £36m
A whole 10 players are valued at £36m in the Premier League and it’s hard to argue with any of them.
The likes of Ben Chilwell and Raul Jimenez have been linked with moves away from their clubs over the course of the past 12 months, which will have driven their market values somewhat, while the consistently strong performances of the others mean they’re probably valued correctly.
Tammy Abraham’s goal scoring form for Chelsea this season, as well as the fact he’s young and English, probably makes him worth a lot more in reality.
14. Two Players – £36.45m
Two young players come in at a market value of £36.45m and while Mason Mount’s value might just be fair when taking into account nationality, age and current form, Matteo Guendouzi’s value might surprise a few.
The Frenchman signed from Lorient for around £7m in 2018 and while he has impressed for the most part, arguably has some way to go before being worth above £30m in today’s market.
13. Two Players – £39.60m
Crystal Palace’s Wilfried Zaha and Leicester City’s Youri Tielemans are both valued at just under £40m and it’s difficult to argue with either.
Zaha has consistently been linked with a move away from Selhurst Park while Tielemans has been so important to Leicester’s fantastic 2019/20 season.
You would expect to see both go for more than £40m if sold in the coming years.
12. Six Players – £43.20m
Six Premier League players have a market value of £43.20m and they’re all pretty much where you would expect them to be.
Man United’s Bruno Fernandes did have a market value of £54m before the current pandemic but you would still expect him to go for more if Man United suddenly decided to sell – but of course, they wouldn’t do that any time soon!
James Maddison is a player in demand, with a number of clubs linked with him over the last couple of months, and you would expect him to go for a lot more if Leicester City decide to cash-in.
11. Declan Rice – £44.55m
Arguably one of the hottest prospects in the Premier League right now, Declan Rice is out on his own with a market value of £44.55m.
The England international has been sensational for the Hammers over the last few years, making more than 100 first-team appearances in what has mostly been a mediocre team often battling for top-flight survival.
If West Ham are unable to push on and start competing at the right end of the table very soon then Rice will no doubt be sold on, and the Hammers are absolutely right to be pricing him at almost double his market value given Rice’s potential.
10. Five Players – £46.80m
Five players have a market value of just over £45m, while each of them were originally valued at almost £60m before the current pandemic ruined everything.
Pepe and Tanguy Ndombele’s market values will still be fuelled by the fees their clubs paid for them in recent transfer windows, while it is so impressive to see Sergio Aguero still holding such a large market value at the age of 31.
9. Christian Pulisic – £48.60m
Chelsea’s Christian Pulisic is out on his own with a market value of £48.60m and there’s little wonder why when you consider the form he’s been in under Frank Lampard of late.
The £58m Chelsea paid Borussia Dortmund for the 21-year-old will of course still be fuelling his market value but given his age, it would not be a surprise to see the American’s value continue to rise over the coming years.
8. Five Players – £50.40m
All of these players have a market value of just over £50m and again, it’s hard to argue with any of them.
They were all initially valued at £63m before the pandemic but all are doing enough for their clubs to still justify a market value of over £50m.
That said, with Aubameyang now into his 30’s, it would be difficult to see him go for anything above the £50m he’s valued at should Arsenal sell him.
7. Aymeric Laporte – £54m
One of the best defenders in the Premier League? Without a doubt.
Pep Guardiola has regularly praised the abilities of Laporte and his importance to City’s success, so it’s little wonder he has a market value of £54m. That has taken a hit, though, as he was valued at £67.5m before the pandemic.
There’s no danger of City opting to sell the 25-year-old and it would not be a surprise to see his market value grow over the coming years.
6. Five Players – £57.60m
Perhaps the most surprising player in the image above with a market value of £57.60m is Tottenham’s Heung-min Son. That said, they all had market values of £72m before the pandemic, which just goes to show how badly the pandemic has affected market values.
The South Korean forward has become one of the most feared frontmen in the world over the last few years and Tottenham would no doubt command a fee close to double that if another club wanted to sign him.
The others are probably about right in the current market, while they would all probably be sold for much more than their values dictate.
5. Two Players – £64.80m
This Liverpool duo have a market value of £64.80m and given their respective successes at Anfield, you can’t argue with that valuation.
Both were initially valued above £80m before the pandemic and will probably climb back to around that level if football recovers and they both continue to improve.
4. Five Players – £72m
All five of these players had initial market values of £90m before the pandemic, which is about right given the impact they’ve all had on their club’s fortunes in recent years.
Now valued at £72m, they’re still among the most valuable players in the Premier League right now. Leroy Sane is reportedly a target for Bayern Munich this summer, but will they be willing to pay more than his current market value?
Paul Pogba, who was once the world’s most expensive player, will always command such a large transfer fee, regardless of form or fitness, because of the commercial benefits he would bring to any club.
3. Trent Alexander-Arnold – £89.10m
He’s by far the best right-back in the world right now, but he’s still not the most valuable player in the Premier League.
Trent Alexander-Arnold has been outstanding for Liverpool as they romped to the Premier League title in 2019/20 (they’ve won it, regardless of whether it’s official yet or not) and he’s showing no signs of slowing down.
Any why would he? The 21-year-old already has a Champions League, Super Cup and World Club Cup under his belt and he’ll no doubt collect a full sweep of domestic honours throughout his career.
Given his market value has taken less than a £10m hit since the pandemic says all you need to know about his potential.
2. Four Players – £108m
No real surprise to see any of these four sharing the second highest market value in the Premier League and all of them would’ve looked at home if they were named as the most valuable.
Kevin De Bruyne and Harry Kane would probably be more likely to climb to number one spot at some point than their Liverpool counterparts, although Mohamed Salah and Sadio Mane make up two-thirds of the most lethal attacking trio in world football right now.
So who’s the most valuable player in the Premier League right now?
1. Raheem Sterling – £115.20m
Surprised? Some will be.
Raheem Sterling is the Premier League’s most valuable player right now, with a market value of just over £115m. However, before the pandemic he had a massive £144m valuation.
The City winger has really kicked on over the last few years, for both club and country, and is one of the most lethal wide-men in world football right now.
The £44m City paid Liverpool for him in 2015 looks like fantastic business now, doesn’t it?