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Cristiano Ronaldo returned to the Premier League last summer as he bid goodbye to Juventus and decided to re-sign for Manchester United. He brought a lot of value and was expected to add plenty of goals too.
The Portuguese international has fared reasonably well but is perhaps no longer the most valuable commodity in his team or the Premier League. He has scored 14 goals and made three assists in 24 games in all competitions this season.
There are far more valuable forwards in the Premier League than Cristiano Ronaldo
The five-time Ballon d'Or winner is a phenomenon even as he nears his 37th birthday but there are drawbacks to his game. He is not as fast anymore and his role in the build-up play has decreased. These factors have led to Cristiano Ronaldo being valued at €35 million. In the meantime, other players, who are younger than the Real Madrid legend, have upped their game, thereby becoming far more valuable.
On that note, let's take a look at five Premier League forwards who are more valuable than Cristiano Ronaldo.
#5 Marcus Rashford (€85 million)
Marcus Rashford has been one of the best wingers in the Premier League over the last five years. He has the drive, desire and willingness to beat every opponent on the run and has a bullet of a shot to back it up in front of goal.
The Manchester United academy graduate hasn't had the best season so far. He has scored just five goals and made an assist in 17 appearances in all competitions. However, he has been turning a few heads in recent games. His last-minute winner against West Ham United before the international break was one of those moments.
Rashford is 12 years younger than the ex-Juventus star, courtesy of which it is no surprise that he is currently valued at €85 million.
Rashford can aspire to reach the footballing heights of Ronaldo but for now he can learn from the great man until he stays at Old Trafford.
#4 Raheem Sterling (€85 million)
Raheem Sterling has blown hot and cold in the Premier League over the last two seasons but he remains one of the most effective players in the game. The Englishman does have his off days but still manages to produce 8/10 performances.
The same cannot be said for Ronaldo, who sometimes turns into a liability on his bad days. But Sterling, who is still only 27, remains one of the fastest players in the Premier League and a highly technical player. The winger can still dribble past some of the best defenders in the world, thanks to his low center of gravity.
With seven league goals to his name, the ex-Liverpool star is the joint-top scorer of runaway champions Manchester City this season. Ronaldo might be more lethal than the winger, but the tricky attacker has some more facets than his rival club's talisman. Perhaps that is also why the Manchester City star is currently valued at €85 million.
The Manchester United forward was inarguably better than Sterling when he was 27 but for now, the Etihad outfit's winger is a more valuable asset.
#3 Romelu Lukaku (€100 million)
Romelu Lukaku rivaled Ronaldo in Serie A for the last two years before both superstars secured a move back to the Premier League. The Portuguese international joined Manchester United while Chelsea broke their club-record transfer fee (£97.5 million) to sign the Belgian star.
Lukaku performed really well in his opening weeks at Stamford Bridge but following a six-week injury, he has not fared well. The 28-year-old ace has found it hard to combine with any of his teammates and is struggling slightly in front of goal. The Belgian has scored eight goals and made two assists in 24 appearances in all competitions this season.
But he keeps getting into the right areas and perhaps the international break could help him refresh and re-energize. Compared to Ronaldo, the Chelsea ace is a much better hold-up player and adds to the game in other ways if not through goals. But while some would argue with Lukaku's €100 million valuation, he still has some time on his side to prove the same to the Blues.
The former Inter Milan star may not appear to be better than Cristiano Ronaldo at the moment, but he is still a more valuable prospect, given his age and potential.
#2 Mohamed Salah (€100 million)
Mohamed Salah is arguably the most in-form attacker in world football and there are few better than him at the moment. Under manager Jurgen Klopp, the right-winger has become a natural goal-scorer and has instilled fear in the eyes of every defender.
Ronaldo will be able to relate to this because for the longest time, the Portuguese ace was a high-flying winger and dribbled past defenders for fun. But Salah has created more of an impact in the Premier League over the last five years.
Ronaldo held the record for most goals in a 38-game season but the Egyptian star broke it in his first full campaign at Liverpool (32 goals). He is also the current top scorer in the Premier League this season with 16 goals, not to mention his nine assists. So it would not be a surprise that he is worth €100 million, which some may argue is an undervalued figure, given his fitness level.
Salah may never manage to win the Ballon d'Or multiple times but is currently a far more valuable player than Ronaldo.
#1 Harry Kane (€100 million)
It was only six months ago that Manchester City were ready to shell out almost £100 million to sign Harry Kane from Tottenham Hotspur. They failed in their pursuit to do so but might feel like they dodged a bullet. The 2020-21 Premier League Golden Boot winner has been anything but a talisman for his club this term.
Spurs have faltered a lot themselves but these are the times when Kane hasn't managed to bail his side out. Manager Antonio Conte has brought about a change at the club but the Englishman is still struggling with inconsistency.
However, a lot could change soon, especially if the North London club start to click together again. The 28-year-old ace is still arguably the best marksman in the league, and his efficiency in front of goal is better than Ronaldo's. Kane has scored just five goals and made two assists in 19 league appearances this season.
The Portuguese ace has had a better season in terms of numbers but the English international could change this pretty easily. Kane is still worth €100 million today and many clubs are likely to pay that sum for him despite his recent downturn in form.
Spurs' vice-captain is one of the most valuable players in world football but needs to make a case for the same in the coming months.
