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The year 2021 was filled with a lot of football as leagues around the world continued alongside various other competitions at club level. There was also the delayed UEFA Euro 2020 and Tokyo 2020 Olympics, as well as the Copa America at international level.
To cover for the missed games during the peak period of the COVID-19 pandemic, continental federations also increased the number of matches per international break.
The resultant effect of all this football was felt mostly by the players, and many of them eventually picked up injuries as well. Injuries are very normal in sport, but sometimes, the body reaches breaking point when it is overused and minor issues become major.
Without further ado, here is the most valuable XI of presently injured players based on their valuation by Transfermarkt.
Goalkeeper - David Raya (€18 Million)
Spanish goalkeeper David Raya was one of the most outstanding players for newly-promoted Brentford in the Premier League this season. Raya kept three clean sheets in his first nine appearances as Brentford flew out of the blocks at the start of the season.
He kept clean sheets in his first two league appearances against Arsenal and Crystal Palace to help his side set the tone for the season ahead.
However, Raya injured his knee in the closing moments of a 2-1 defeat to Leicester City in October when he rushed out to thwart Ayoze Perez. He was expected to spend four to five months on the sidelines from October.
Right-Back - Reece James (€55 Million)
Reece James has clearly distinguished himself as one of the best right-sided full-backs in the Premier League after a series of monstrous performances for Chelsea. The 22-year-old England international has five goals and six assists in 23 appearances for the Blues this season.
James suffered his most recent injury setback when he tore his hamstring against Brighton and Hove Albion, ruling him out for the next two to three months.
Center-Back - Cristian Romero (€35 Million)
Cristian Romero joined Tottenham Hotspur on a loan deal from Atalanta with an obligation to buy for around €55 million last summer. Since then, he has made 13 appearances for the club in all competitions.
Romero has struggled to settle in England since his arrival. He picked up a hamstring injury while on international duty in November. The defender is expected to be back later this month or early February.
Centre-Back- Wesley Fofana (€40 Million)
French youngster Wesley Fofana enjoyed a spectacular debut campaign with Leicester City in the Premier League last season. He even won the club's 'Young Player of the Season' based on fan votes. The 21-year-old was tipped for greater things in football before injury struck.
The defender fractured his fibula and injured his knee ligaments in a pre-season friendly against Villarreal CF. The youngster is expected to miss most of this season as a result.
Left-Back- Ben Chilwell (€38 Million)
After a disappointing summer with England at Euro 2020, Ben Chilwell returned to Chelsea and proved once more why he is so highly-rated. The defender became an important piece in the tactical set-up of manager Thomas Tuchel, using his agility and positional discipline to best effect. He contributed three goals and an assist.
Chilwell made 12 appearances for Chelsea before getting injured in a 4-0 win over Juventus in the Champions League in November. He is expected to miss the rest of the season after undergoing a knee surgery a few days ago.
Central Midfield- Pedri (€80 Million)
Still only 19-years-old, Barcelona starlet Pedri had a year to remember. The young midfielder played the most matches of any footballer in 2020-21 and ended up winning the Kopa Trophy and Golden Boy award. Pedri played for Spain at the Olympics and Euro 2020, and the amount of football he played left him susceptible to muscle injury.
The teenager has played only four games this season after picking up a number of injuries over the course of the season. For Barcelona and Spain, Pedri remains a key player, but the continued exertion of his body will do him a lot of harm long-term.
Central Midfield - Leon Goretzka
German midfielder Leon Goretzka is suffering from hip and knee problems at the moment, causing him to be unavailable for Bayern Munich. The midfielder has already missed over a month of action since his injury. Goretzka is normally one of the driving forces in midfield for Julian Nagelsmann at the Allianz Arena.
Goretzka makes good use of his strength and physique to progress the ball through the middle of the park for the German champions. The 26-year-old midfielder made 18 appearances for Bayern this season before his injury, contributing two goals and two assists.
Right Midfield - Ferran Torres (€45 Million)
Spanish winger Ferran Torres recently moved from English champions Manchester City to FC Barcelona in a surprise €55 million transfer. The 21-year-old joined Barcelona after he was convinced by manager Xavi of being the face of his project at the club. Torres contributed three goals and an assist in seven appearances for Manchester City this season before his transfer.
He saw his involvement curtailed by a metatarsal fracture in October. The Spaniard is currently working his way back to full fitness while Barcelona work on freeing up space to get him registered in their squad.
Left Midfield - Robin Gosens (€35 Million)
Versatile German left-sided player Robin Gosens has been an important player for Atalanta in recent seasons. The 27-year-old left midfielder has played eight times for the Italian side this season with two goals and an assist to show for it.
The German international suffered a hamstring injury in a 1-0 win for Atalanta against Young Boys in the Champions League back in September. He then suffered another setback in training in November. Gosens is expected to return to full training for Atalanta in January.
Forward - Victor Osimhen (€60 Million)
Nigerian striker Victor Osimhen remains unavailable for title-chasing Napoli in Serie A. The 23-year-old striker is recovering from a facial fracture. He suffered it after a clash of heads with Milan Skriniar in their league clash against champions Inter Milan at San Siro.
The Nigerian forward is the most expensive player in African history after his move from LOSC Lille to Napoli cost around €70 million in 2020. Osimhen has been Napoli's highest goalscorer this season despite his injury layoff. He has scored nine goals and two assists in only 14 appearances for Partenopei.
Osimhen was fitted with eight plates surgically as his cheekbone was fractured in his clash with Skriniar. The surgeon described the surgery as one of the most difficult he has carried out. The forward was almost caught up in a club vs country row after he was invited for AFCON by Nigeria despite not being passed fit by Napoli.
Osimhen, who led the scoring for Nigeria in qualifying for the tournament, was eventually left out of the squad after a positive COVID-19 test. He is yet to return to full training with Napoli, but his return from injury is imminent now.
Forward- Neymar Jr (€90 Million)
The arrival of Lionel Messi at Paris Saint-Germain last summer has had a profound effect on Neymar, one of his close friends. The Brazilian looks to be enjoying himself without any pressure on the pitch, and has been important this season for PSG, as always. He has three goals and three assists in 14 appearances for the French giants this season.
The 29-year-old suffered an ankle ligament damage following a heavy landing in the Ligue 1 match against Saint-Etienne in November. Neymar left the pitch in tears after the injury and needed crutches to leave the stadium after the game.
Neymar has had a good deal of injury trouble since joining Paris Saint-Germain in 2017, especially at this time of the year. The forward is expected to make his return from injury shortly, with the PSG squad set to camp in Qatar from mid-January for a change in scenery.
With a crucial Champions League Round of 16 tie against Real Madrid coming in February, Neymar will need to be fit and ready for action.
