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The Premier League is seen by many as the best league in the world, and rightly so. England’s top division is one of the most competitive leagues in the world, and despite the top six looking so much stronger on paper, anyone can beat anyone.
We have seen this season the emergence of Liverpool as genuine title contenders, with the Reds four points clear at the top of the table after 21 games, and it could be a thrilling end to the season as Manchester City look to retain the title.
The strength of the Premier League is shown by the fact there are six teams who have squads full of players who are more than good enough to play Champions League football. It has been a transitional period for all of Chelsea, Manchester United and Arsenal, but they will all be aiming for a Champions League spot this season.
The quality is highlighted in the most recent CIES Football Observatory rankings of player values. The rankings take into account a player’s age, position, and the results of their club and the national team.
Of the top 20 highest ranked players in the world, 12 of them ply their trade in the Premier League. Here are the ten most valuable players in the Premier League according to CIES.
#10 Bernardo Silva (Manchester City) - £120.3 million
Bernardo Silva is often the forgotten man in the Manchester City midfield that also includes the likes of Kevin de Bruyne, David Silva and Fernandinho. However, after a slow first season in English football, Bernardo has really adapted to life in the Premier League and has become a crucial part of this Manchester City side, and at 24, it looks like he can only get better.
The Portuguese international is a fabulous footballer, who is excellent on the ball, and capable of going past a man at will. He also proved he can do the more industrial side of the game in the recent match with Liverpool, running 13.7km, the most of any player in a Premier League game this season. He has also shown he does have a finishing product, scoring five goals and providing six assists so far this season.
#9 Gabriel Jesus (Manchester City) - £121.6 million
Another Manchester City player, but Jesus would be considered more of one for the future at the age of 21. Jesus is a predatory finisher in front of goal, and has shown he is a worthy deputy, and perhaps future replacement, for City’s all-time top scorer, Sergio Aguero. The Brazilian has also made his mark on the international scene, forming a deadly front three alongside Neymar and Philippe Coutinho.
Jesus hasn’t had the best Premier League season up to this point, but he could still have a big part to play in the rest of the season. He has only scored three goals this season, but got 13 in the league last time out, including the historic late winner on the final day of the season that helped City become the first team in English top-flight history to reach 100 points.
#8 Sadio Mane (Liverpool) - £124.2 million
Mane has been a crucial part of Liverpool’s incredible form over the past 18 months. The Senegalese winger has become one of the first names on Jurgen Klopp’s team sheet and has shown that he is capable of producing moments of genuine class. At 26, he may also be yet to reach his full potential, so there still could be more to come.
He has taken his game to the next level since joining Liverpool from Southampton in 2016 and has hit double figures for goals in every season since. He also scored ten goals in Liverpool’s impressive Champions League run last season, including the equaliser in their final defeat to Real Madrid.
#7 Roberto Firmino (Liverpool) - £131.6 million
The second member of Liverpool’s formidable front three, Firmino has thrived under the management of Jurgen Klopp, and is now one of the finest attacking players in the Premier League. Much like Mane, Firmino’s goal record has improved in recent years, and the Brazilian netted 27 times in all competitions last season, the best goal return of his career.
He is someone who is also more than willing to do the dirty side of the game, and he is often seen getting back and doing his defensive duties. His importance to the Liverpool side was summed up by Klopp’s recent comments, where the German manager said: “Mo Salah, world class, but not every day. Sadio Mane, world class, but not every day. Roberto Firmino, world class, pretty much every day.”
#6 Dele Alli (Tottenham) - £135.7 million
It seems almost unbelievable that Tottenham paid just £5 million to sign Alli from MK Dons in 2015. In the years since then, Alli has become part of Tottenham’s revolution under Mauricio Pochettino, and at 22, he still looks like he can get better. He has twice been named PFA Young Player of the Year, and is now regarded as one of England’s most important players.
He is someone who will be under pressure to start winning trophies in the coming years, much like the rest of Tottenham’s side, and their manager Pochettino. He is a more than productive goal scoring midfielder, having scored 41 goals in 119 Premier League matches, as well as providing 27 assists, an impressive record for someone so young.
#5 Leroy Sane (Manchester City) - £141.1 million
Sane was one of Pep Guardiola’s first signings when he took over at Manchester City in 2016, and it is easy to see why the Catalan manager was so keen to bring the winger to the club. After taking a season to find his feet in the Premier League, he was terrific last season, with his ten goals and 15 assists in the league enough to earn him the PFA Young Player of the Year award.
There is certainly an argument to be made that Sane is among the best wingers in the world, as his pace and skill make it almost impossible for defenders to stop him. It was a baffling decision to see him left out of the German squad for the 2018 World Cup, and things could have been different for Germany had they included him. The 22-year-old has also proved he can deliver at the vital moment, scoring the winner in City’s crucial win over Liverpool last week.
#4 Romelu Lukaku (Manchester United) - £146.4 million
It may be a surprise for some people to see Lukaku on this list, given his form this season, but his overall goal record speaks for itself. In 237 Premier League games, the Belgian forward has scored 109 goals, an excellent record for someone who is still only 25 years of age. He has also scored eight times in the league this season, despite only starting 12 games.
The Belgian’s game is more than just scoring goals as well. He plays a key role in holding the ball up, and bringing others into play. It is also worth noting that he spent a number of years at Everton and West Brom, who haven’t always had top players around him, but he was still able to maintain his impressive goal record. His game can only improve by learning from Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, the caretaker manager at United.
#3 Mohamed Salah (Liverpool) - £166.6 million
What more is there to say about Salah that hasn’t already been said? Big things were expected from the Egyptian winger when he joined Liverpool last summer, but nobody could have predicted the level of success that he has had in English football. Last season, he scored 32 league goals, the most by any player in a 38-game Premier League season.
He is the key member of Liverpool’s front three, and this was shown by how his side suffered when he was taken off in the Champions League Final against Real Madrid with a dislocated shoulder. The 26-year-old has flourished since leaving Chelsea in 2015, and after spells with Fiorentina and Roma, he has become a genuine world-class player.
#2 Raheem Sterling (Manchester City) - £167.6 million
It seems strange that Sterling is still only 24, as it seems like he has been around for an awfully long time. The Manchester City winger has been improving with every year, and he can now be considered amongst the world’s most talented players. Sterling has often been harshly criticised by the press and fans, but his record speaks for itself, as does his importance to this Manchester City side.
Sterling has really benefitted from Pep Guardiola taking over at the Etihad Stadium, as he has learnt from someone who worked with Lionel Messi for so many years. Last year was comfortably his best, as he scored 18 goals and provided 11 assists in the Premier League. He is well on the way to matching that this season, having already netted nine times and assisted seven goals. He is still improving and could turn out to be one of England’s greatest players.
#1 Harry Kane (Tottenham) - £181 million
Kane is judged to be the second most valuable player in the world, behind only PSG’s Kylian Mbappe, and ahead of the likes of Lionel Messi, Cristiano Ronaldo, and Neymar. Despite being only 25, Kane has netted 122 Premier League goals, and he doesn’t look like stopping any time soon. He was also the Golden Boot winner at the 2018 World Cup, becoming just the second Englishman to win the award after Gary Lineker.
There is little argument that Kane is the best striker in the world, having scored at least 20 goals in each of the last four Premier League seasons, and with 14 strikes to his name already this season, he is well on the way to making it five. If this Tottenham side are to fulfil their potential and start winning trophies, Kane will be a massive part of that.
