Manchester City’s striker Erling Haaland was ranked higher than Vinicius Jr and Bukayo Saka in the CIES Football Observatory list.
Based on the CIES Football Observatory ranking, Manchester City and Premier League’s leading scorer, Erling Haaland, top the list with a value above €245 million (excluding any potential buy-out clause).
The CIES Football ranking lists the top three footballers under 23 years of age as Erling Haaland of Manchester City, followed by Vinícius Júnior of Real Madrid, and Bukayo Saka, who recently extended his contract with Arsenal.
Erling Haaland
Manchester City have successfully acquired the services of the most sought-after striker in the world for an initial fee of approximately £55 million.
The deal for the Norwegian striker was rumored to have included an agent and signing fees, which brought the total cost to over £100 million.
Meanwhile, the 22-year-old Norwegian has been performing exceptionally well and proving his worth.
At just 22 years old, the Norwegian star is already considered one of the top strikers in the world and has a valuation of €245.1 million.
Haaland’s transfer to the Etihad Stadium has proven to be advantageous for City.
He played a key role in City’s victories in both the FA Cup and Premier League Cup this season.
This season, the Norwegian player has made 52 appearances for Manchester City, scoring 52 goals and providing 9 crucial assists.
Erling Haaland is on track to secure another major feat for the highly coveted European championship title, as Manchester City prepares to face Inter Milan in the UEFA Champions League final on June 10.
There have been discussions about Haaland potentially becoming the next top player in the football world, taking over from Cristiano Ronaldo in the long term.
If Manchester City were to consider letting him go, it would probably require a very high fee.
Vinicius Jr
Despite facing several challenges in the past few seasons, the 22-year-old has now reached the pinnacle of his career and is enjoying his success to the fullest.
Vinicius Junior’s value has significantly increased due to his impressive achievements, including winning a La Liga title, scoring and assisting 44 goals in the 2022-2023 season, and being the winner of the 2021/22 Champions League.
According to CIES, the Brazilian and Real Madrid star has a value of €196 million.
However, Real Madrid is unlikely to consider selling him at any price.
It has been reported that Vinicius has extended his contract with Los Blancos until 2027.
The Brazilian superstar has unfortunately experienced numerous instances of racial abuse while in Spain, which could potentially result in his departure from the country.
Due to a tough season and hostility from rival fans, his feat this season has been reduced to 23 goals and 21 assists in 55 appearances for Real Madrid.
Bukayo Saka
Saka has spent his entire professional career playing for Arsenal’s first team. During his time there, he has won both FA Cup and FA Community Shield.
Over the years, he has become one of Arsenal’s most productive and influential players.
The Arsenal player played a crucial role in helping the team qualify for the Champions League next season.
This season, Saka played in 48 matches for Arsenal and scored 15 goals while also creating 11 assists.
CIES values Saka at over €195 million due to his impressive performance in recent seasons.
The 21-year-old Arsenal forward recently visited the streets of Lagos after arriving in Nigeria for a vacation, following a successful season with his club in England.
CIES Additional rankings.
Jude Bellingham, the teenage player from Borussia Dortmund, has successfully joined Real Madrid.
He is ranked fourth on the list of players with an estimated value of €190 million, which includes eventual add-ons, just like all the other players on the list.
Presuming that his contract registration until 2026 is effective, the Englishman holds a higher rank than Rodrygo and the FC Barcelona duo of Pedri González and Pablo Gavi.
Jamal Musiala, Phil Foden, and Kylian Mbappé, who has a contract with PSG until 2024, are included in the top 10 list.
Two Portuguese top talents, António Silva and Gonçalo Ramos, have recorded the highest estimated values for players from outside the big-5.
António Silva’s estimated value is €89 million, while Gonçalo Ramos’ estimated value is €82 million.
The duo from SL Benfica are currently leading the pack, which includes Xavi Simons from PSV Eindhoven, Diogo Costa from FC Porto, Gonçalo Inacio from Sporting CP, and three players from AFC Ajax.
How the CIES Football Observatory Players valuable list calculated
According to the CIES Football Observatory, the world’s top players have been ranked based on their potential and transfer valuations.
When evaluating a player’s worth, several factors such as age, marketability, and ability are taken into consideration.
Their analysis considers the player’s position, goals, assists, and number of appearances for their national team.
It is important to note that the player’s contract length is also included.
What’s your take on the CIES Football Observatory list of valuable players?
