September 2 – A new analysis of player values has found that in the major 10 European leagues they are showing signs of recovery due to the fact that almost all leagues were eventually able to finish the 2019/20 season. However, most players still have not regained their ‘pre-pandemic’ market value.
During the coronavirus lockdown the KPMG Football Benchmark team produced two player valuation scenarios that showed a decrease in total player value across 10 of Europe’s leading leagues of between €6.6 billion (17.6% compared to February 2020) and €10 billion, depending on whether the season restarts or is cancelled.
In a transfer market that has yet to catch fire and many clubs struggling to finance debt and wages, it is not surprising that so far there has been comparatively little transfer activity. With seasons to resume again behind closed doors and the impact on sponsorships, clubs are putting financial survival before big money spend on playing stock.
KPMG’s last analysis was done in May. For the May to end August period they are reporting “a slight overall increase of 3.8%”.
Looking at the value of the top players, the report authors find “only a minor variation compared to the previous valuation: UEFA Champions League runners-up Paris Saint Germain FC still boast the top two players, with Kylian Mbappe dominating the ranking and having been able to cross the EUR 200 million mark again after his MV had decreased to EUR 188 million due to the impacts of the pandemic. He is followed by his teammate Neymar, who saw a EUR 1 million decrease bringing his MV down to EUR 148 million.”
Manchester City’s Raheem Sterling is ranked third at €140 million (a €6 million increase). Interestingly his potential teammate Lionel Messi, who has said he wants to leave Barcelona, has seen his value drop €11 million to €124 million – a long way away from the €700 million buyout clause in his Barca contract.
KPMG Benchmark point out that Champions League winners Bayern München don’t have a single player in the top 20 highest valuations but the club is ranked fifth highest in terms aggregate squad value.
Notably in Canadian Alphonso Davies they have the player who increased his market value the most since May, rising €35 million to €73 million. He is followed by Arsenal’s Bukayo Saka, who will turn 19 this week, who rose €26 million to a valuation of €43 million.
See the full report at https://footballbenchmark.com/library/player_valuation_update_slight_recovery_of_market_values
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