#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