La Liga ruled Europe in the 2015/16 season, with the UEFA Champions League final being fought by Real Madrid and Atletico Madrid, while Sevilla won the UEFA Europa League. Barcelona continued their dominance with a league title, which underlined the superiority of the Spanish league in the world.
Multiple players experienced a great rise to prominence in 2016, which has seen their transfer market value increase by leaps and bounds.
Here are the top 10 La Liga stars with the largest increase in transfer value in 2016. (Stats courtesy: Transfermarkt)
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#10 Sergio Rico – Sevilla: €12.5m increase
Ever since Rico made his debut for Sevilla on the 14th of September, 2014 as a callow 21-year-old, the Spaniard has not looked out of place. The goalkeeper has been crucial in Sevilla’s recent Europa League success, often making saves at crucial moments, which has seen his value increase by a staggering 166.7% in a single calendar year.
If he continues his improvement, it won’t be long before bigger clubs come calling for the Sevilla youth product, and the signs this season all point to that scenario happening. Rico has kept 10 clean sheets in 27 games this season – a hugely impressive statistic for a side playing Jorge Sampaoli’s high-pressing system that often leaves the goalkeeper to fend for himself.
Jan 2016 value: €7.50 million
Jan 2017 value: €20 million
#9 Samuel Umtiti – Barcelona – €13m increase
Samuel Umtiti’s performances for Lyon in the first half of the calendar year saw his transfer value increase two-fold, with Barcelona parting with 25 million to bring the Frenchman to La Liga. The centre-back has slotted in seamlessly alongside Gerard Pique in the Barca defence, with many considering the 23-year-old a long-term successor to the Spaniard.
It’s hardly surprising to note a 108.3% rise in his transfer value, especially given how ever-present he is for Barcelona. The Frenchman has been part of a defence that has just conceded 17 goals in 19 games, to the point that Barca fans are greatly concerned any time Umtiti picks up an injury.
Jan 2016 value: €12 million
Jan 2017 value: €25 million
#8 Kevin Gameiro – Atletico Madrid – €13m increase
Kevin Gameiro ended his Sevilla career with a goal for the Andalusians in the UEFA Europa League Final – leading to Atletico Madrid bidding a stunning €40 million for his services. The Frenchman has proved to be quite hit-and-miss, struggling with inconsistency as he’s impressive in one game and anonymous in another.
With 8 goals and 5 assists from 29 appearances for the Rojiblancos, Gameiro still has some way to go to justify his fee. Yet, overall it was still an impressive year for the Frenchman, having been second-choice for much of his Sevilla career since 2013.
Jan 2016 value: €12 million
Jan 2017 value: €25 million
#7 Alvaro Morata – Real Madrid – €15m increase
The rumours of Alvaro Morata wanting a move away from Real Madrid seem justified, even though the player has denied it. The Spaniard has been impressive whenever Zinedine Zidane has called upon him – Morata has 31 appearances, but only 1444 minutes – an average of 46 minutes – with most of his game time coming in the Copa del Rey.
The 24-year-old striker has still managed to score 11 times, compared to Benzema’s 13 – although Morata has a better goals-per-minute ratio. Coupled with him hitting his peak years, it's no surprise to see Morata’s transfer value rise by 60% in 2016.
Jan 2016 value: €25 million
Jan 2017 value: €40 million
#6 Jan Oblak – Atletico Madrid – €15m increase
Jan Oblak was the eight-most expensive goalkeeper in the world when Atletico Madrid paid €16 million for his services in the summer of 2014, but that amount looks a bargain now. The Slovenian has gone from strength-to-strength, breaking records as he finished the 2015/16 season with 24 clean sheets.
Atletico’s poor start to the season has meant that Oblak will be unable to post similarly impressive numbers this year, with 11 clean sheets from 21 appearances so far. However, Oblak is still only 24-years-old, which explains his 75% rise in transfer value in 2016.
Jan 2016 value: €20 million
Jan 2017 value: €35 million
#5 Steven N’Zonzi – Sevilla: €15m increase
Blackburn Rovers paid £0.5 million for N’Zonzi, Stoke City paid £3m, and Sevilla then decided to pay £7m in the summer of 2015. Those amounts seem like bargains when looking at the performances of the lanky Frenchman in 2016, as N’Zonzi has thrived under Jorge Sampaoli at the heart of Sevilla’s midfield.
It’s no wonder that Sevilla are firmly in the La Liga title race – N’Zonzi’s powerful presence ahead of the defence has allowed players like Vicente Iborra to bomb forward, with N’Zonzi no mug going forward either. The Frenchman has played 2370 minutes for Sevilla in 26 games this season – and his consistent form has seen his transfer value increase by 150%.
Jan 2016 value: €10 million
Jan 2017 value: €25 million
#4 Stefan Savic – Atletico Madrid – €16m increase
Stefan Savic can look back on 2016 with pleasure, especially after he became the first Montenegrin to play in the UEFA Champions League Final in the 21st century. Atletico’s purchase of the centre-back from Fiorentina for €10 million looks like a bargain now, as Savic has been crucial to Diego Simeone’s defence.
Jose Gimenez and Diego Godin were Simeone’s first choice pair, but Savic has bulldozed his way into his coach’s plans. With 24 appearances this season, Savic is a consistent 7/10 performer at the heart of Atletico’s defence, which has seen his transfer value increase by 133.3%.
Jan 2016 value: €12 million
Jan 2017 value: €28 million
#3 Saul Niguez – Atletico Madrid – €25m increase
Real Madrid may forever regret the day they let a 14-year-old Saul Niguez leave their youth side to move to rivals Atletico Madrid. The Spaniard has grown to become one of the best young midfielders in the world, having come to the world’s attention when he scored a beautiful solo goal against Bayern Munich in the UEFA Champions League semifinal.
Saul’s versatility in midfield has seen him in a number of roles – equally adept at creating attacking opportunities as he is at breaking up the opposition’s attacks. With 4 goals and 2 assists this season, Saul can do better, but at the age of 22, the world is his oyster. No surprise then, that he experienced a 250% increase in transfer value in 2016.
Jan 2016 value: €10 million
Jan 2017 value: €35 million
#2 Yannick Carrasco – Atletico Madrid – €25m increase
That Carrasco is one of 6 Atletico players in this list speaks volumes about the intelligence with which Atletico do their transfer business, coupled with the Rojiblancos’ UEFA Champions League run last season. Atletico paid €20 million for the Belgian to move from AS Monaco to Atletico Madrid in 2015 – and has improved massively in 2016.
With 10 goals and 3 assists in 28 appearances for Atletico, Carrasco is one of the most consistent performers in Spain at the moment. Having also scored his first professional hat-trick this season, Carrasco can expect his value to increase in 2017 too if he keeps this up, although a rise of 166.7% that he managed in 2016 might seem unlikely.
Jan 2016 value: €15 million
Jan 2017 value: €40 million
#1 Antoine Griezmann – Atletico Madrid – €30m increase
Antoine Griezmann’s 2016 was a year of narrowly missing out on some massive prizes, losing both the UEFA Champions League final and Euro 2016 with France. The 25-year-old then went on to miss out on personal accolades of the Ballon d’Or and the FIFA Best award, with Cristiano Ronaldo winning both of them.
However, the Frenchman is still the 6th most valuable player in the world at the moment – and the one who experienced the highest rise in his transfer value. Despite a slow start to the season, Griezmann has been involved in 21 goals in 27 games (7 assists, 14 goals) – which goes far in explaining why his transfer value rose by 60% in 2016.
Jan 2016 value: €50 million
Jan 2017 value: €80 million
