Transfer fees continue to skyrocket, but which player is actually worth the most?
The CIES Football Observatory, based in Switzerland, has taken on the task of working it out, and has revealed a list of the top 100 most valuable players – including familiar names such as Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi, to some less well known such as Mikel Oyarzabal of Real Sociedad.
CIES says it has calculated the transfer value according to a "freshly updated and improved algorithm" which "takes into account a wide array of variables such as age, contract, position, minutes, goals, international status, team results, etc. The estimates refer to the value for the most likely recruiting club."
Take a look at the top 20 in the slideshow at the top.
Big names who missed out on the top 20 include Liverpool's Virgil van Dijk, who was the world's most expensive defender until Harry Maguire joined Manchester United from Leicester City this summer. Van Dijk is valued at €112.1 million (Dh457m) by CIES.
Elsewhere, the two Brazilian goalkeepers vying at the top of the Premier League, Liverpool's Alisson Becker and Manchester City's Ederson, are close in value, with the former in 24th at €107.5m and the latter at 26th with a value of €103m.
Tottenham Hotspur's Christian Eriksen, who has been seeking a move this summer, is said to have a value of €61.3m as he enters the last year of his contract.
Other notable inclusions are Arsenal's Matteo Guendouzi in 62nd (€70.2m), and Lucas Torreira in 49th (€76m), plus West Ham's England international Declan Rice in 71st (€68.7m).
Paulo Dybala who came close to joining Manchester United and Tottenham during the transfer window, was placed in 23rd with a value of €108.2m.
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Ranked: 10 best new Premier League kits for 2019/20
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10th: Norwich City away - Wow! Were kit-makers errea drinking mocktails while coming up with designs for the new strip? This is loud and jazzy and complements Norwich’s yellow and green home kit nicely – and that’s high praise from an Ipswich Town fan. Credit: Norwich City FC -
9th: Manchester United away - An up-close look shows a snake-skin pattern and it’s the subtle touch that makes this such a great new shirt. The colour is a rare one, not quite gold, not quite sand, while it is one of the first United kits that allows the Chevrolet sponsor to blend rather than be so obtrusive. Credit: Adidas -
8th: Crystal Palace away - Puma are doing great things this year – and not just at Manchester City. The dual-colour shoulder patches add an extra infusion, while the wavy pattern on the front really funks it up. Nice job. Credit: Crystal Palace FC -
7th: Manchester City third kit - The most adventurous of all of the new kits this season as Puma made an immediate statement after taking over City’s kits from Nike. Like an ice lolly, this one should be a favourite while the sun is still shining. Credit: Manchester City FC -
6th: Arsenal away - As if a stonking new home strip wasn’t enough, Adidas have done it with the away kit too. The bruised banana was legendary in the early 90s, and while this time around the bruising is less severe, it’s certainly a sweet creation. Reuters -
5th: West Ham United - It’s retro all the way from Umbro, who were kingpins of kit design in the 1990s. The smart two-tone colouring with some upper torso stripes will go down a storm with a pair of jeans. Expect to see this shirt all over East London. Getty Images -
4th: Chelsea away - Is the little collar gimmicky, or does it add style? I’m going for the latter as it passes it off as a multi-purpose polo shirt which you could probably get away with down the golf club. The red, blue and white mix beautifully together. Credit: Chelsea FC -
3rd: Manchester City away - Inspired by the Hacienda nightclub in the city, fans were surely jumping around with joy on first sight of this. The black gives it a serious edge, while the chevron pattern will take older fans back to a time when music and football were all that mattered. Credit: Manchester City FC -
2nd: Leicester away - As if Adidas have brought back the classic design of their Germany 1990 World Cup kit – and put it in pink for Leicester City. It’s wonderful in every respect, from the shade of pink to the sight of those three stripes on the shoulders. It's pretty and it's powerful, and that takes some doing. Credit: Leicester City FC -
1st: Arsenal home - It’s like 1990 all over again and for Arsenal fans a time when they had a side that was seriously good. This kit is smart, it’s retro with the V-neck collar, and it’s possibly Adidas’s finest creation in years. Credit: Arsenal FC
