English youngster Jude Bellingham (Real Madrid) tops the list of 100 players in the world with the highest estimated transfer values, with a transfer value of €267.5m, ahead of Norway’s Erling Haaland (Manchester City) and his two Brazilian teammates Vinícius Júnior and Rodrygo Goes. This is according to the 445th issue of the Weekly Post which presents the 100 players in the world with the highest estimated transfer values according to the CIES Football Observatory statistical model. The International Centre for Sports Studies, known mostly by the initials CIES from the French Centre International d'Etude du Sport, is an independent, research and education organization, located in Neuchâtel, Switzerland. Its website presents exclusive data and analysis on soccer players: with aspects such as performance, transfers, values, ratings, and talent. As for the other leagues in the Europe’s big-5, Jamal Musiala (Bayern Munich) heads the rankings for the German Bundesliga, Khvicha Kvaratskhelia (SSC Napoli) for Italy’s Serie A and, despite a contract expiring in June, Kylian Mbappé (Paris St-Germain) for France’s Ligue 1. Outside the big-5, António Silva (SL Benfica) is ahead of Gonçalo Inácio (Sporting CP) and Endrick Felipe (SE Palmeiras, on loan from Real Madrid). Compared to the estimates published in June 2023, the number of players with a transfer value in excess of €100 million has almost doubled (from 20 to 39), reflecting the sharp inflation in player prices occurred during the summer 2023 transfer window. The value of the hundredth player with the highest estimated value is now €71.3 million, compared with €53.4 million in June 2023. Based on thousands of paying fee transactions, the CIES Football Observatory statistical model allows an accurate prediction of the transfer fees that clubs are likely to pay, given the prices invested in the past for players with similar characteristics. The values are based on a statistical algorithm created by examining over 6,000 transfers worldwide. It is noted that the estimates do not take into account eventual buy-out clauses. They refer to 100% of the economic rights and include both fixed and conditional sums (add-ons).
