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Football in 2021 has started off with a bang. From Liverpool's struggles to Kylian Mbappe destroying Barcelona, this year has already given us plenty of talking points.
The likes of Erling Haaland, Harry Kane and Mohamed Salah, among others, have seen their stock rise in the last few months, while players like Eden Hazard have seen their market value plummet drastically.
The Coronavirus pandemic has caused a lot of problems financially to football clubs all over the world. However, with the world slowly starting to return to normal, we could still see some blockbuster transfer deals and transfer fees in the 2021 summer transfer window.
Without much ado, let us take a look at the:
10 most valuable players in football - February 2021
#10 Joao Felix (Atletico Madrid) - €100 million
One of the most talented players in world football at the moment, Joao Felix has played an integral role in his side's strong position in La Liga this season. The supremely skilled Portuguese forward has formed a brilliant understanding with veteran striker Luis Suarez and is finally starting to deliver on his immense potential.
An intelligent forward who plays best when he is the supporting striker, Felix is technically adept and capable of breaking thorugh the oppositon defences with his well timed runs and skillful dribbling.
Still only 21, the young Portuguese star will be looking to build on his good performances this season and win La Liga with Atletico Madrid.
#9 Raheem Sterling (Manchester City) - €110 million
Raheem Sterling continues to be one of Manchester City's most important players under Pep Guardiola. The pacy forward was not at his best during the initial months of this season. But Sterling, just like Manchester City, is hitting top form at exactly the right moment.
At 26, Raheem Sterling is heading towards his peak years and will be looking to improve on his performances and cement his legacy as one of the best wingers in world football.
With Manchester City firing on all cylinders, it will come as no surprise to anyone if Raheem Sterling's market value rises astronomically in the near future.
#8 Trent Alexander-Arnold (Liverpool) - €110 million
Trent Alexander-Arnold might not have hit the heights of last season in this campaign, but there is no doubting his talent. One of Liverpool's most important players, the 22-year-old right-back plays an integral role in setting the tempo for Jurgen Klopp's Liverpool side.
The Scouser has shown some glimpses of his best form in recent weeks and Jurgen Klopp will be hoping that the talented full-back gets back to his best soon.
Alexander-Arnold is a vital part of Liverpool's attacks and has formed an excellent partnership with Mohamed Salah on the right-hand side for Liverpool. If he pulls up his socks defensively, Alexander-Arnold could become one of the foremost players of this generation.
#7 Erling Haaland (Borussia Dortmund) - €110 million
One of the few stars whose market value has risen since January, Erling Haaland is one of the game's foremost talents. Blessed with incredible speed and clinical finishing skills, Haaland has almost single-handedly kept Borussia Dortmund's season alive with his incredible goalscoring exploits.
The supremely talented Norwegian has seen his market value rise €10 million since January thanks to his amazing from. Coming off an extraordinary display against Sevilla, the 20-year-old striker has been tipped for an expensive transfer in the summer transfer window.
If he keeps performing like this, Haaland is sure to make his way up this list in the coming months.
#6 Kevin De Bruyne (Manchester City) - €120 million
Arguably the best and most complete midfielder in world football at the moment, Kevin De Bruyne will be looking to make a strong comeback from his recent injury layoff.
The Belgian playmaker has consistently been performing at the top level for the last few seasons and he even won the Premier League Player of the Year award last season for his incredible performances.
At 29, Kevin De Bruyne is at the peak of his career and will be hoping to inspire Manchester City to the elusive UEFA Champions League title this season.
#5 Harry Kane (Tottenham Hotspur) - €120 million
Tottenham star man Harry Kane has cemented his reputation as one of the best strikers in world football at the moment. Capable of scoring all types of goals, Kane's form is crucial if Jose Mourinho's side are to achieve anything of note this season.
The 27-year-old has been among the Premier League's top scorers in the last few seasons. This season as well, his numbers have been incredible. In 21 Premier League matches, the England international has an astonishing 24 goal contributions having scored 13 goals and assisted a further 11.
A clinical finisher who is also adept at linking up play, Harry Kane is Tottenham's talisman and Jose Mourinho's trump card. Kane will be hoping to win the first trophy of his Tottenham career when they take on Manchester City in the League Cup final on 25th April.
#4 Mohamed Salah (Liverpool) - €120 million
Liverpool might have 100 problems at the moment, but Mohamed Salah's goalscoring form is certainly not one of them. The 'Egyptian King' has undoubtedly been one of Liverpool's standout performers.
A truly world class footballer, Mohamed Salah has broken a number of Liverpool records in the last few seasons and looks good to break even more records in the future.
When asked if Salah gets enough credit, Jurgen Klopp in his recent press conference said:
“You don’t have to ask me if or why he doesn’t get the credit. If he doesn’t get the credit, I don’t know,” he said.
“It would be really strange and really unexplainable why he shouldn’t get the credit. He gets the credit here, internally, for sure for all these things.
He gets all the respect from us. If you don’t give him the right amount of respect, you have to ask yourself why that is the case.The numbers and the performances cannot be the reason.”
#3 Sadio Mane (Liverpool) - €120 million
Liverpool have been extremely successful in the last few years and one man who played a major role in all those successes was Sadio Mane. Quick, tenacious and a powerful runner with the ball, Sadio Mane will need to hit his best form soon if Liverpool are to salvage this season.
The Senegalese winger often puts in the hard yards and is invaluable to Jurgen Klopp. At 28, Sadio Mane will be hoping to rise to even greater heights and have at least another 4-5 seasons at the very highest level.
Fast, durable and extremely effective, Sadio Mane is a nightmare for opposition defenders and is undoubtedly one of the greatest wide forwards of this generation.
#2 Neymar Jr. (Paris Saint-Germain) - €128 million
Considered the natural heir to the throne of Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo, Neymar Jr. has had some interesting seasons at Paris Saint-Germain. The 29-year-old superstar seems finally well setted at the French capital.
This season could very well represent the best chance for Neymar to inspire PSG to the elusive UEFA Champions League title. With Kylian Mbappe in inspired form and a new manager in Mauricio Pochettino, the Brazilian superstar has all the ingredients required for continental success.
A magician with the ball, Neymar has the capability of bamboozling any opposition defender and on his day is almost unplayable. The most expensive player in the world is second on our list of most valuable football players for the month of February.
#1 Kylian Mbappe (Paris Saint-Germain) - €180 million
No surprises at the top of this list. Kylian Mbappe is quite easily the most valuable player in world football at the moment. After putting in a superhuman performance against Barcelona, the 22-year-old's market value is only expected to increase.
Already the winner of a World Cup in 2018, the French superstar has been extremely consistent and has been among the world's best players from the last 4 years.
Blessed with electric pace, excellent control and deadly finishing skills, Mbappe is deservedly the most valuable player in world football at the moment.
Note: Cristiano Ronaldo's (36-years-old) market value is €60 million, while Lionel Messi's (33-years-old) market value is €80 million (20 million lesser than January)
(Values courtesy - Transfermarkt)
