Liverpool’s newest signing Hugo Ekitike has seen his value skyrocket, according to new data from stats boffins – but one superstar is now worth almost £250million.
Ekitike’s £79million arrival from Eintracht Frankfurt was confirmed on Wednesday evening and the striker has joined up with his new team-mates in Hong Kong.
The 23-year-old, who put pen to paper on a six-year deal, had been on Arne Slot’s radar for some time. Indeed, Mail Sport first revealed in March that he was a target.
Incredibly, the club’s data tests showed that no one other than Erling Haaland and Kylian Mbappe scored higher for the No 9 position – and this has been backed up by the fact that his valuation has drastically increased in recent months.
The latest top 10 value increases recorded by Football Benchmark’s Player Valuation Platform place Ekitike at number three, with a value of €80.1m (£69.51m) and a significant uplift since February of €51m (£44.25m).
Last season, the former PSG ace scored 22 goals in 48 games for Frankfurt across all competitions, cementing his spot as one of Europe’s hottest properties.
Liverpool new boy Hugo Ekitike has seen his value skyrocket, according to stats boffins
Ekitike sealed his £79million move to Anfield this week after impressing at Eintracht Frankfurt
Barcelona wonderkid Lamine Yamal is now the most valuable player in world football
However, the figures released by Football Benchmark do not reflect his big-money switch to Anfield, so his valuation is certain to increase further in the next update.
Barcelona wonderkid Lamine Yamal has unsurprisingly topped the chart after his value spiked to a staggering €279.7m (£242.6m) – an increase of €121.8m (£105.6m) – after the 18-year-old enjoyed a sensational campaign for the Spanish giants.
Paris Saint-Germain talent Desire Doue is second on the list after his value increased by €51m (£44.2m), taking his overall figure to €110.6m (£95.9m).
Vitinha, also on the books at PSG, is hot on the heels of Ekitike thanks to his value lifting by €35.3m (£30.6m) to €88.8m (£77m), while Porto attacking midfielder Rodrigo Mora is in fifth place after an uptick of €31.5m (£27.3m).
Rounding off the esteemed top 10 are Michael Olise with an increase of €31.5m (£27.3m), Nuno Mendes (€31.4m or £27.2m), Jesus Rodriguez (€29.8m or £25.8m), Nick Woltemade (€29.2m or £25.3m) and Pau Cubarsi (€26.3m or £22.8m).
According to Football Benchmark, a record 21 players are now valued at over €100m.
The company’s model estimates a player’s market value by taking into account the econiomic value of their contract. Their deal length, age, performances and international experience also play a crucial role in estimating the final figure.
Since the 2018-19 campaign, the number of players valued at or above €100m has risen from 14 to the current 21. Over the same period, the average value of the top 100 players in the world has reached €87.2m, up from €77.6m six years ago.
PSG’s Desire Doue saw his value increase by £44.2million to an overall figure of £95.9m
Bayern Munich target Nick Woltemade has also made the top 10 value increases chart
Kylian Mbappe is the second most valuable player with a staggering total of £205.5m
Meanwhile, Yamal now tops the list of the most valuable players for the very first time, courtesy of his eye-watering market value of €279.7m.
He has been joined in the top five by Mbappe (€236.9m or £205.5m), Haaland (€182.6m or £158.4m), Jude Bellingham (€174.5m or £151.3m), and Vinicius Junior (€171.5m or £148.7m). Arsenal’s Bukayo Saka is sixth (€155.7m or £135m).
Further down, Jamal Musiala is seventh (€154.1m or £133.6m) while Liverpool’s Florian Wirtz (€144.1m or £125m) and Pedri (€131.8m or £114.3m) are close behind.
Federico Valverde (€127m or £110m) then rounds off the top 10.
‘We’re seeing a reshaping of how value is distributed, not just through record numbers of €100m players, but through the depth of high-value talent across the top 100,’ said Andrea Sartori, Football Benchmark’s Founder and CEO.
‘Clubs are managing top players less as short-term performers and more as long-term assets, especially as top talent continues to emerge at younger ages.
‘Valuation is tied as much to contract strategy and squad planning as it is to on-pitch output. In today’s increasingly regulated and data-driven market, understanding true player value has become a competitive advantage in itself.’
