January 8 – Barcelona sensation Lamine Yamal remains the most valuable player in world football, according to the latest CIES Football Observatory model, with the Barcelona forward now valued at €343m.
The 18-year-old sits some distance clear of the market’s established heavyweights, underlining how age, contract length and projected performance are increasingly shaping valuation models as much as output alone.
Behind him are two centre-forwards who continue to anchor the elite end of the transfer economy. Erling Haaland, equipped with a contract expiring in 2034, is assessed at €255m, whilst Real Madrid’s Kylian Mbappé follows at €201m.
The gap between Yamal and the rest of the field is striking and speaks to the premium now placed on generational young talent tied into long-term deals at top clubs.
Jude Bellingham, who topped the same list last January, drops to fourth at €153m. He remains comfortably among the game’s most valuable assets, ahead of Bayern Munich’s Michael Olise (€137m) and Liverpool’s Florian Wirtz (€136m).
The top ten also features a cluster of young technical profiles, including Paris Saint-Germain pair Désiré Doué and João Neves, Real Madrid’s Arda Güler and another Barcelona star in Pedri.
Outside Europe’s big five leagues, Palmeiras forward Vitor Roque leads the way at €85m, ahead of Porto’s Samu Aghehowa and Sporting CP winger Geovany Quenda, who has already been secured by Chelsea. By position, Gianluigi Donnarumma tops the goalkeeping market (€81m), Pau Cubarsí leads centre-backs (€110m) and Nico O’Reilly is rated highest among full-backs at €90m.
Taken together, the data reinforces a clear trend: youth, contract security and development upside continue to drive value at the very top of the market.
Contact the writer of this story, Harry Ewing, at moc.l1767872611labto1767872611ofdlr1767872611owedi1767872611sni@g1767872611niwe.1767872611yrrah1767872611
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