A Football Observatory agency known as CIES has rated Manchester City and English footballer, Phil Foden, the most valuable player in the world.
According to the agency which claimed that the decision was reached based on the results of the Football Observatory algorithm, the 100 players that were accessed are players who play in the top five leagues in Europe – Premier League, La Liga, Serie A, Ligue 1, and Bundesliga.
The Agency’s report claimed that Phi Foden who had his breakthrough season in the just concluded 2020-2021 season is worth €190.2 million in the transfer market which means that before any club can sign him, such a club must offer a whopping €190.2m to City.
On the contrary, transfermarkt pegged the transfer market value of the 21-year-old left winger at €80 million which means that the difference between what the Football Observatory algorithm reported and the claim on the transfermarkt site is a whopping €110.2 million.
Though the parameters the algorithm used to arrive at the €190.2 million market value for Phil Foden is not known, the England international is seen by many pundits as one of the future superstars in the game.
In the just-concluded season, Phil Foden who gained promotion to Manchester City senior team on July 1, 2017, helped the club to win the Premier League title after scoring 9 Premier League goals and provided 5 assists in 28 games.
His performance in the league earned him the PFA young player of the year and a nomination for the PFA man’s player of the year.
Based on CIES ranking, Phil Foden is followed by his national teammate, Mason Greenwood of Manchester United with a transfer market value worth €178 million. Another national teammate of his, Marcus Rashford is the third most valuable player on the ranking with a transfer market value worth €159 million.
The most sought-after striker in the world who won the 2020 Golden Boy award is occupying the 4th spot. The market value of the Borussia Dortmund talisman is placed at €155.5 million. Bruno Fernandes of Manchester United occupies the 5th spot with a market value of €154.3 million.
While Frenkie de Jong of FC Barcelona (€138.7m), Pedri González of Barcelona (€133.2m), Alphonso Davies of Bayern Munich (€131.6m), João Félix of Atletico Madrid (€127.8m), and Mason Mount of Chelsea (€123.6m) made the number six, seven, eight, nine, and ten on the ranking.
Kylian Mbappé of Paris Saint Germain who many believe is the most valuable player in the world sits on the 12th spot on the ranking with €118.3m behind Borussia Dortmund and an English footballer Jadon Sancho (€120.8m) who occupies the 11th spot.
A record six times Ballon d’Or winner, Lionel Messi, and his career rival who has won 5 Ballon d’Or, Cristiano Ronaldo, did not make it into the top 100 most valuable player list according to the Football Observatory algorithm.
