5 players whose transfer values are greater than market values of top-flight clubs

The footballing world waits with abated breath as Neymar’s impending transfer to Paris Saint-Germain draws closer. It is believed that the Parisian giants are ready to break the all-time transfer record currently held by Paul Pogba by paying Barcelona a transfer fee of €222 million. While many have expressed their surprise at the rumoured transfer fee, we are not entirely surprised ourselves.

After all, the CIES Observatory had valued the Brazilian at a whopping €175 million and given his abilities, PSG probably don't mind paying a premium of 27%. Should he complete the transfer, Neymar would exceed the value of some of the legendary clubs in world football such as FC Porto (€205.95 million), Lazio (€202.20 million) and Sevilla (€ 199 million).

While we wait for the story to unfold, it is time we look at the big money transfers of the current window that value a player higher than some great footballing institutions.

Note: Club values courtesy Transfermarkt.com

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#5 Bernardo Silva - FC Copenhagen

FC Copenhagen might not be the biggest club in the world, having been the subject to numerous Champions League hammerings in the recent past. However, that does not take away the fact that they are actually a force to reckon with in Denmark.

The current Danish champions have won the League 12 times since their inception in 1992 (Two clubs, Kjøbenhavns Boldklub and Boldklubben 1903 were merged to create the current Danish heavyweights in July 1992) and are the third highest Scandinavian club in the UEFA rankings list.

Manchester City have not been afraid to break the bank time and again when they spot the opportunity to bring one of the best in the business to the English shores and they did precisely that with the signing of Bernardo Silva. The former Monaco man had played a critical role in his side’s rise to prominence last season with his creative displays and Pep Guardiola was more than happy to part ways with €47.92 million to acquire his services.

In the process, not only has Bernardo Silva become the subject of a high profile transfer, he has also seen his value exceed the cumulative value of the Scandinavian heavyweights FC Copenhagen.

#2 Kyle Walker – Santos FC

Will Kyle Walker ever be able to justify the transfer fee Manchester City have paid for him?

Brazilian football has been crowned the world champions a record 5 times and continues to provide the footballing world with world class players. One club that continues to churn quality players year after year is Santos FC, having given been the home to world class player such as the great Pele, Socrates, Robinho and Neymar over the course of its existence.

However, when it comes to value of the side, it does not come as a surprise that Brazilian sides do not rank very highly, especially with the league’s fan base sporadic outside of South America, with Sau Paulo being the highest valued club at €70.78 million and the legendary Santos valued at a meagre €50.80 million.

When Pep Guardiola signed the former Tottenham Hotspur full-back Kyle Walker for a transfer fee believed to be in the region of €55 million, a lot of eyebrows were raised, with many stating that the club was paying way over the odds for the services of the Englishman. The fee paid for Walker is higher that Santos' market value.

#3 Alexandre Lacazette – Standard Liege

In Lacazette, Arsenal have acquired the services of a proven goal scorer

Arsenal might have scored their highest ever League goals in the last 5 years last season, but it was clear that Arsene Wenger needed to sign a proven striker, especially with the speculation about their star player Alexis Sanchez mounting with every passing day. The French manager, who is not exactly known for going on a spending spree, did get the required work done relatively early in the transfer window when Arsenal signed French striker Alexandre Lacazette.

While the recruitment is believed to be spot on, who would have thought that the often criticised manager might break Arsenal’s all-time transfer record by spending over €58 million for the former Lyon striker, in the process making him more valuable than the Belgian giants Standard Liege, who are valued at € 51.95 million!

Formed in 1898, Les Rouches have been amongst the elite Belgian clubs in the world having won the Belgian title 10 times, their latest title win coming in the 2008-09 season. However, the reduced marketability of the Belgian league means that none of the clubs from the league have been able to breach the 100 million mark in terms of market value.

#2 Alvaro Morata – Huddersfield Town

Alvaro Morata's stock has risen rapidly since his move to Juventus

Huddersfield Town might be set to feature in the Premier League for the first time in the upcoming season but that does not mean The Terriers are new to English football. The club that was founded in 1908 were the first English club to win the League for 3 consecutive seasons, a record they hold to this day alongside the likes of Liverpool, Arsenal and Manchester United and are believed to be a club on the rise by many English fans.

However, a 45-year long spell in the lower English Leagues has severely dented their value over the years and it comes as no surprise that at a value of €52.10 million, they are actually less valuable than the Chelsea new signing Alvaro Morata.

The former Real Madrid man, who was also part of a successful unit at Juventus, is a player whose reputation is on the rise with every passing season. The striker has bagged 58 goals in 188 appearances since moving to Juventus is more than just about goals.

He possesses the ability to hold up play for his teammates, can create chances at a regular frequency and is a threat on and off the ball with his movement. With a transfer fee believed to be in the region of €64.60 million, Morata is Chelsea’s costliest player ever and given the standards Antonio Conte has set at the club, he has a tough task ahead if he is to justify his transfer fee.

#1 Romelu Lukaku – Galatasaray

Lukaku could prove to be a terrorising presence for the Red Devils

When the big burly Belgian striker joined Manchester United from Everton, he became an integral part of the footballing folklore. By paying, what is believed to be a fee in the region of a whopping €85 million to acquire his services, Lukaku became the subject of the 2nd highest transfer fee ever paid by an English club and the highest ever paid for a Belgian player.

What is perhaps interesting to note is that the sublime Belgian is actually valued higher than the Turkish giants Galatasray. The Turkish side, who have won their league a record 20 times while also wining the UEFA Cup and UEFA Cup Winner’s cup apart from a number of other trophies, are by far the most beloved team in Turkey, with an estimate saying that over 40% of the fans in Turkey preferring the Istanbul-based club.

However, despite their large and religious following in their home country, they are no match for the Belgian international when it comes to value as perceived by the market, as they are valued at €84.60 million as per the latest report posted by Transfermarkt.com.