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Centre-Back: Raphael Varane (Real Madrid), Value €80 Million
At the age of 25, Raphael Varane has achieved almost everything a professional footballer could dream about. Adding the World Cup to his list of honours in Russia, Varane has won multiple La Liga and Champions League titles with his club side, Real Madrid. He collected his fourth Champions League medal this year, making him the youngest defender ever to lift the trophy on four occasions.
Varane has enjoyed a steady improvement during his time at Real Madrid. Since signing for the Spanish giants in 2011 he has gone from strength to strength, becoming a mainstay in the heart of Madrid's defence. His bright future was predicted as early as 2013 when French legend Frank Lebouef said of Varane:
"Many compare him to Hierro due to his technique, but on the physical level he is stronger and he is much faster."
Varane's market value development has exploded over the last six months. Valued at just €40 million in January 2018, the French World Cup winner is now valued at twice that. This steep increase in value has made him the most valuable centre-back in the world according to our data.
