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The Covid pandemic has definitely had its effect on the ongoing transfer window. Several clubs are feeling the strain caused by the pandemic and are finding it hard to furnish the funds they require to invest lavishly this summer.
However, with several top players expected to move, there is no shortage of transfer rumours. But in this environment, more and more teams are likely to take the cautious route and are looking to strike deals that don't require a mammoth amount to be paid upfront.
Several transfer records have been broken by La Liga teams in the recent past and some of the world's most expensive players ply their trade in the Spanish top-flight. On that note, let's take a look at the most valuable players in La Liga right now.
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#5 Eden Hazard - €72 million
Eden Hazard's much awaited dream move to Real Madrid finally worked out last summer for a whopping €100 million. However, the Belgian had a rather forgettable debut season for the Blancos and was pretty underwhelming despite them winning the La Liga title.
Hazard was also sidelined for a good part of the season due to injury and made just 22 appearances across all competitions scoring just 1 goal and providing 3 assists.
It is then no surprise that his transfer value has dropped significantly and he is currently rated at €72 million. Hazard used to tear up the Premier League for Chelsea and was expected to do the same at Real Madrid.
Though his debut season did not exactly work out, there is no questioning the quality of the Belgian and the Santiago Bernabeu faithful will be hoping to see the very best of him in the upcoming season. We wouldn't be surprised if his transfer value shoots right back up again.
#4 Jan Oblak - €72 million
Jan Oblak might not be the archetypal modern day goalkeeper who is just as adept with his feet as he is with his hands. But the way Diego 'Cholo' Simeone has got Atletico Madrid playing, what they need is an old-fashioned shot stopper and there is simply no one better at it than the Slovenian.
Oblak has grown immensely in stature since joining from Benfica as a 21-year-old for just €16 million. Today, he is one of the most sought-after goalkeepers in the world and is now expected to kick on at Atletico Madrid despite being linked with several clubs.
#3 Joao Felix - €72.9 million
It will take Joao Felix a couple more seasons before the €126 million that Atletico Madrid paid Benfica to secure his services can be justified. A player with immense potential, Joao Felix is still only 20-years-old and has his entire footballing career ahead of him.
But when any club shells out a transfer sum in excess of €100 million, they'd do so expecting immediate results and you can't fault the Rojiblancos for feeling a bit hard done. The Portuguese forward only scored 9 goals and assisted 2 from 35 appearances across all competitions in the 2019/20 season.
However, he has shown his quality on occasion and if Simeone can get him to perform consistently, he could become a world-beater.
#2 Antoine Griezmann - €86.4 million
Is it too early to call Antoine Griezmann an ill-advised signing for Barcelona? Maybe. Maybe not. After all, there were always concerns about whether the Frenchman was going to be able to fit in at Barcelona straight away after joining from Atletico Madrid.
Both teams have extremely different philosophies and it would be wise to wait for another season before passing a final judgment on the Griezmann signing. Having scored only 9 goals and racked up just 4 assists from 35 appearances in the La Liga this season, he has a long way to go before that €120 million that Barcelona paid for him can be ruled as wise investment.
However, if he can shake off the debut season blues and kick on to clock the kind of ridiculous numbers he used to at his prime in Atletico, he could end up being the saviour for the Catalans who are going through a period of turmoil.
#1 Lionel Messi - €100.8 million
Lionel Messi might be rated at €100.8 million but let's be realistic. No team is going to take the Barcelona legend away from the club by paying €100 million. In fact, Messi has a release clause of €700 million at Barcelona and any team hoping to secure his services will need to pay thrice as much as PSG paid for Neymar unless Barcelona is willing to negotiate.
Messi has told Barcelona that he wants to leave the club this summer. He is unhappy with the club's board and the policies they have adopted over the past several seasons. However, losing Messi could be the last nail in the coffin as far as the struggling Blaugrana is concerned.
Messi is arguably still the best player on the planet and at 33-years-old, he continues to be performing at incredible levels.
