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The market value of a player is dependent on a lot of factors, but performance has been and will always be the most important metric.
A poor campaign can take a massive toll on a player’s value, irrespective of his legacy. Similarly, a brilliant season can boost a footballer's valuation, making him one of the most sought-after players in the world.
Below, we will take a look at five players who did superbly for themselves in the 2021-22 season, gaining significant market value for it.
Now without further ado, let’s take a look at the five biggest market value winners of the 2021-22 season:
Valuation via: Transfermarkt
#5 Rafael Leao (AC Milan): €45 million increment
At the end of the 2021-22 campaign, AC Milan won Serie A for the first time in 11 years.
Centre-forward Rafael Leao was one of the club’s finest performers over the course of the campaign, doing everything in his power to help his teammates.
He scored goals, created chances, pressed hard, and got back tirelessly whenever needed.
The 23-year-old represented Milan in 42 games across all competitions, recording 14 goals and 12 assists. Out of his 26 goal involvements, 21 (11 goals and 10 assists) came in 34 Serie A appearances.
Fueled by his impressive displays, Leao’s price tag has received a sizable €45 million boost, taking it to €70 million.
#4 Dusan Vlahovic (Juventus): €45 million increment
Dusan Vlahovic enjoyed an excellent 2021-22 campaign, scoring goals left, right, and centre.
He spent the first half of the season at Fiorentina, bagging 17 goals in 21 Serie A appearances. In January, he signed for fellow Serie A outfit Juventus, with the Bianconeri securing his services for €81.6 million.
He could not quite replicate his Fiorentina numbers at his new club, but his performances in Turin were not lackluster by any means.
The Serbian sharpshooter featured in 15 Serie A games for the Old Lady, scoring seven times.
In total, Vlahovic took part in 45 games across competitions in the 2021-22 season, registering 29 goals and six assists.
The 22-year-old’s admirable performances saw his price tag take a €45 million jump to land on €85 million.
#3 Luis Diaz (Liverpool): €47 million increment
In January, Liverpool signed Luis Diaz from Porto for a €47 million fee. Despite joining a considerably tougher league, Diaz hit the ground running, infusing drive and confidence into the Reds’ attack.
Diaz tormented defenders with his dazzling runs, contributed to the team’s build-up, and won the ball back more often than not with his relentless pressing.
In the first half of the 2021-22 campaign, the left-winger played 18 Primeira Liga games, scoring 14 goals and providing five assists. He also represented Porto in six Champions League matches, scoring twice.
He then scored four times and provided three assists in 13 Premier League games for Liverpool. The Colombian international also found the back of the net twice and set up one goal in seven Champions League outings for the Reds.
Overall, the FA Cup and League Cup winner played 54 games across competitions last season, recording 22 goals and 11 assists.
His market value has been bumped by €47 million, taking the 26-year-old’s price tag to €65 million.
#2 Gavi (Barcelona): €60 million increment
Barcelona did not have the best of campaigns in the 2021-22 season. They crashed out of the UEFA Champions League group stage, dropping to the Europa League, where they were eliminated by Eintracht Frankfurt in the quarter-finals.
They finished 13 points behind arch-rivals and Spanish champions Real Madrid in La Liga and also failed to go deep into the Copa del Rey.
Amid the doom and gloom, academy graduate Gavi emerged as Barcelona’s brightest spark. With Pedri missing a lot of games due to hamstring issues, Gavi made it a point to make his presence known.
He impressed fans with his passing, vision, and defense-piercing runs. In the 2021-22 season, the 17-year-old featured in 47 matches across competitions for the Blaugrana, recording two goals and six assists.
Gavi’s fine performances are fairly reflected in his latest valuation. The La Masia graduate, who only made his first-team debut last season, received a mammoth €60 million bump in valuation, making it his current market value.
Given his trajectory, expect more bumps in the coming months and years.
#1 Vinicius Junior (Real Madrid): €60 million increment
Real Madrid left-winger Vinicius Junior enjoyed his best-ever campaign in the 2021-22 season.
The Brazilian youngster, who received heavy criticism before the 2021-22 campaign for his sub-par displays, made it a point to improve his game.
Under Carlo Ancelotti, he managed to take his passing and shooting to new heights, ending the campaign as his team’s second-best attacker, only behind Karim Benzema.
Over the course of the season, Vinicius bagged 22 goals and provided 20 assists in 52 appearances across competitions. His most memorable performance came in the Champions League final against Liverpool, with him scoring the winning goal in the 1-0 win in Paris.
Vinicius also won the La Liga title with Los Blancos, finishing the season as the division’s third-leading goalscorer with 17 strikes.
On the back of his blistering campaign, the 21-year-old has received a €60 million bump in his valuation, taking his market value to a whopping €100 million.
Also Read: Top 5 players with most goals from outside the box in Premier League history
