March 6 – CIES Football Observatory’s latest study has identified the 100 players outside Europe’s top five leagues whose transfer values have surged the most over the past six months, with Porto’s Samu Aghehowa leading the way.
The Spanish striker, currently the second-top scorer in Portugal behind sought-after Sporting Club revelation Viktor Gyökeres, has seen his estimated value jump by €39 million, from €29.6m to €68.6m.
Palmeiras’ teenage sensation Estêvão Willian, who is technically owned by Chelsea, ranks second with a €30 million increase (from €30m to €60m). The player, tipped to be the best Brazilian wonderkid since Neymar, will link up with the Chelsea first team at the end of the season.
Benfica’s Spanish defender Álvaro Carreras rounds out the top three after his value climbed by €28 million. Now valued at almost €40million, former club Manchester United will be kicking themselves after letting him go for just €6million in the summer.
Another Benfica talent, Tomás Araújo, follows closely behind his teammate with a €25 million rise.
Portugal’s Primeira Liga dominates the rankings, with three more players in the top 10: Braga’s Conrad Harder, Sporting’s Geovany Quenda, and Braga’s Roger Fernandes. They are joined by Feyenoord’s Antoni Milambo, Anderlecht’s Jan-Carlo Simić, and Ajax’s Mika Godts.
Sweden striker Gyökeres (€67million) now ranks as the second-most valuable player outside the top five leagues after Aghehowa’s valuation increase – though expect neither of them to stay in Portugal for much longer.
Aghehowa was inches away from securing a €35million move to Chelsea in the summer from parent club Atlético de Madrid, though the move fell through in the final stages and he ended up on loan to Porto – where he has thrived.
Gyökeres, meanwhile, is tipped for a blockbuster move this summer, with Manchester United, Liverpool and Arsenal all keen on securing his signature.
CIES’ valuations are based on a statistical model analysing nearly 10,000 paid transfers, with data used to estimate player values across 65 leagues worldwide.
To see the full data click here.
Contact the writer of this story, Harry Ewing, at moc.l1741283171labto1741283171ofdlr1741283171owedi1741283171sni@g1741283171niwe.1741283171yrrah1741283171