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Footballers are transferred for ridiculously high amounts these days. The eye-watering transfers of Neymar and Kylian Mbappe to Paris Saint-Germain, Countinho's move to Barcelona and the most recent sensational switch of Cristiano Ronaldo from Real Madrid to Juventus are just a few testaments to the aforementioned statement which signify that owners do not scruple in lashing out millions to buy top quality players.
In a football world reigned by forwards, it goes without saying that the subsequent list has been dominated by strikers and attacking players. After all, the footballers on the scorecard are the most popular ones in the sport and the players up front stand the best chance to leather the ball into the back of the net. In consequence, their market values are customarily higher in comparison with goalkeepers and defenders.
Market values for a particular player are calculated by how well they play, age, their marketability and ability to sell shirts. So without further ado, let us take a look at the 10 most valuable players in world football at the moment:
Values courtesy – Transfermarkt
Note: Market values represent what their actual price in the transfer market is supposed to be and not the current inflated amounts.
#10 Antoine Griezmann - £90 million
Over the course of the past few years, Antoine Griezmann has merchandised himself as one of the best centre-forwards in the modern football. Latterly, he was heavily linked with a move to Barcelona which he snubbed at the start of the World Cup 2018, throwing La Blaugrana's transfer plans into utter disarray.
Also Read: 3 players Barcelona could sign in place of Antoine Griezmann
The 27-year-old has proved to be an instrumental figure in France's road to the World Cup final, managing 3 goals and engineering 2 assists in the process. On top of that, the Frenchman was particularly impressive in the 2017-18 season where he inspired Atletico Madrid to their third Europa League title.
With the former Real Sociedad star only 27 years old and enjoying the peak of his career, it won't be surprising if his market value crosses the £100 million barrier in the coming months.
#9 Dele Alli - £90 million
Dele Alli is a prized asset of Tottenham Hotspur for many different reasons. He is not only a creative player who can find crucial breakthroughs for his team but can also bring out the best in his teammates.
Harry Kane is a great example of how Alli influences the players around him. The prolific goal scorer's success has not come entirely due to his individual brilliance but can partly be attributed to Spurs' imaginative midfield, which Dele Alli is the kingpin of.
In the World Cup 2018, the 22-year-old helped his team reach the semi-finals of the tournament.
#8 Eden Hazard - £99 million
The substandard 2017-18 season ended on a high note for Chelsea, courtesy of Eden Hazard's goal in the FA Cup final against Manchester United.
In the recently-concluded season, the Belgian made 52 outings for The Pensioners, scoring 17 times and assisting a further 13 goals. He also played a vital role in Belgium's World Cup 2018 campaign where The Red Devils trumped the likes of England and Brazil to reach the semi-finals of the all-important tournament.
The 27-year-old has long been linked with a move to Real Madrid, a high-stakes transfer that looks all the more possible after Cristiano Ronaldo's departure from Los Blancos.
#7 Paulo Dybala - £99 million
Dybala is one of the most promising talents in the world presently. Widely regarded to be the heir to Lionel Messi, the player has been the fulcrum of Juventus' squad.
In the 2017-18 season, he notched up 22 goals for The Old Lady in 33 appearances. The 24-year-old also played a vital role in their title-winning run which saw them clinch their seventh successive league trophy, 34th in the club's history.
However, notwithstanding his immense talent, the opportunities have always come at a premium for him in the national camp and his underuse was one of the consequential reasons why the World Cup ended prematurely for La Albiceleste.
With Cristiano Ronaldo now in Juventus' ranks, Dybala is expected to make great strides in terms of his playing style.
#6 Kylian Mbappé - £108 million
Kylian Mbappe is one of the most exciting prospects in world football at the moment. The way he has shot to fame in the years gone by has left the footballing fraternity awestruck.
The French starlet has constantly been in the media spotlight during the ongoing FIFA World Cup 2018 due to his back-to-back sterling performances. He was notably splendid in the match against Argentina in the Round of 16, where he helped his team qualify via a belter of a display.
After his arrival at Parc des Princes, the 19-year-old has formed a menacing attacking unit with the likes of Neymar and Edinson Cavani. Mbappe plays with a style similar to his idol - Cristiano Ronaldo. Blessed with searing pace and clinical finishing, the Frenchman can slalom past opponents before pulling off a neat assist or belting the ball past the goalkeeper all by himself.
#5 Kevin De Bruyne - £135 million
Kevin De Bruyne acted as the impetus to Pep Guardiola's stunning Manchester City side that went on to win the Premier League title in a glorious fashion this year. Together with Eden Hazard, he was also important to Roberto Martínez's plans in World Cup 2018.
The Belgian has often been described as one of the best modern-day advanced play-makers due to his technique, wide range of passing, and long-range shooting skills. His paramount importance to Manchester City's consistent performances was summed up by Pep Guardiola's following statement.
I think he is a special, outstanding player. He makes everything. Without the ball, he is the first fighter, and with the ball he is clear – he sees absolutely everything.
#4 Harry Kane - £135 million
Frankly speaking, when England boarded the plane to Russia, not many football pundits expected the youthful team to go far, especially in the face of footballing giants such as Germany, Spain, France, Argentina and Brazil. Nevertheless, the inexperienced side went on to surpass England's Golden Generation and all the success has largely come on the back of one man - Harry Kane.
The 24-year-old skipper led his side by example, racking up 6 goals and leading the Golden Boot race. For Tottenham Hotspur, Harry Kane is the linchpin of the roster owing to his consistent performances in the previous seasons.
The 2017-18 season saw the striker score 41 goals in 48 appearances for The Lilywhites, narrowly missing out on the Premier League Golden Boot. Consequently, he has gained a meteoric rise in his market value.
#3 Mohamed Salah - £135 million
Not even the most optimistic of Liverpool fans could have predicted the impact Salah has made on Liverpool since joining them from AS Roma for £37.8m back in June 2017.
Undoubtedly the best signing of the season, Salah fired on all cylinders over the course of his debut season for The Reds by virtue of which, his market value grew exponentially. The fleet-footed winger astonishingly netted 32 goals for Liverpool in Premier League, bagging the Golden Boot award as a consequence.
No wonder why Liverpool had a hard time dodging the offers made for Salah before the Egyptian eventually agreed on a new long-term contract with his current club.
#2 Lionel Messi - £162 million
The standout footballer of this generation along with Cristiano Ronaldo (who failed to make the cut), Lionel Messi appears to be ageing like red wine!
Although he underwent another disastrous international campaign at the World Cup, it would be criminal to turn a blind eye to his invaluable contributions for Barcelona last season. With Neymar's controversial adieu last summer and Real Madrid's intimidating form, La Blaugrana were not tipped to achieve much in the 2017-18 season.
Nevertheless, the way Lionel Messi almost single-handedly led his side to glory is one for the books. Barcelona ran riot domestically as they went on to clinch La Liga and Copa Del Rey titles with the Argentine oiling the wheels of the campaign.
Under Ernesto Valverde, the 31-year-old maestro was a brilliant playmaker-cum-goalscorer for Barcelona, registering 45 goals and a further 18 assists across all competitions.
#1 Neymar - £162 million
In the wake of his world-record transfer to Paris Saint-Germain last summer, Neymar has understandably secured a place atop the list. Post his contentious transfer, Neymar hit the ground running alongside his baleful teammates, Mbappe and Cavani.
In the 2017-18 season, the Brazilian wunderkind chalked up 28 goals in 30 outings for Les Parisiens and the stats could have been even more impressive if it had not been for a fractured metatarsal in early March.
Touted as a future Ballon d'Or winner, the 26-year-old has reportedly topped Real Madrid's wishlist following Cristiano Ronaldo's exit from the club. And if the mooted deal is materialized, the former Barcelona ace could once again break a host of records with another astronomical move.
