Football isn’t what it used to be five years ago, especially the financial aspects of the game. The financial power of top European clubs has increased significantly because of television rights, sponsorship deals, and various other factors.
Transfer values have grown exponentially in the last few years and Neymar’s €222 million move from Barcelona to Paris Saint-Germain during the summer of 2017 is a testament to that.
Players’ values have also grown significantly and there were quite a few €100 million transfer deals in the past 12 months. Players like Kylian Mbappe, Ousmane Dembele, Philippe Coutinho, and Cristiano Ronaldo were sold for more than €100 million, and not all of them deserved that price.
On the flip side, some of the star performers have failed to live up to the expectations last season because of poor form, injuries, or lack of opportunities, and have witnessed a drastic drop in their market value.
Note: Data courtesy TransferMarkt.
#5 Yannick Carrasco
Market Value in July 2017: €40 million
He also was a part of the Belgium side that finished third in the 2018 World Cup. However, the Belgian international made a surprise move from Atletico Madrid to Chinese Super League club Dalian Yifang during the 2018 January transfer window.
#4 Arda Turan
Market Value in July 2017: €24 million
Current Market Value: €4 million
The Turkey midfielder arrived at the Camp Nou in the summer of 2015 for a fee of around €35 million. Though he played some part in his first two seasons at the club, he failed to make a single La Liga appearance under Ernesto Valverde. Deemed surplus to requirements at the Camp Nou, he returned to his homeland with Istanbul Basaksehir on a two-and-a-half year loan deal.
The 2017/18 season went from bad to worse for the 31-year-old as he was banned for 16 games for shoving and abusing an assistant referee during a Super Lig game. His market value reduced almost €20 million in the past 12 months. Arda Turan is currently valued at € 4 million, which is an 83.3% decline from last July valuations of €24 million.
#3 Karim Benzema
Market Value in July 2017: €60 million
Current Market Value: €40 million
Karim Benzema’s nine-year tenure at the Santiago Bernabeu is nothing short of phenomenal. The Frenchman has won four Champions League titles, two La Liga titles, two Copa del Rey titles, and many more with Real Madrid. The 30-year-old has scored 192 goals in his 413 Real Madrid appearances so far.
The Real Madrid star is one of the all-time best strikers in La Liga history. However, Benzema has become less and less prolific with his age. Benzema has scored only 16 goals in his last two La Liga seasons combined, compared to a total of 39 goals in 2014/15 and 2015/16. He will be 31 in December and does not have many years at the highest level. His mediocre 2017/18 season has cost him €20 million in terms of market value, which is currently 33.3% less than what it was 12 months ago.
#2 Gonzalo Higuain
Market Value in July 2017: €75 million
Current Market Value: €55 million
The Juventus striker was once the third most expensive player in the world when he completed his £75.3 million move from Napoli to Juventus in 2016. Higuain scored 36 goals in Serie A during the 2015/16 season, which prompted his move to Juventus.
He was poor in the tournament and struggled to take his chances in front of goal. As a result, his market value took a beating in the past 12 months. It reduced by €20 million (26.7%) since July 1st, 2017.
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#1 Luis Suarez
Market Value in July 2017: €90 million
Luis Suarez struggled in the UEFA Champions League this season with just one goal and three assists from 10 appearances. Though he scored two goals in the World Cup, he was not able to influence games consistently. The 31-year-old’s market value has come down because of inconsistent performances throughout the season and also because of the age factor. His market value reduced by €20 million (22.2%) since July 1st, 2017.
