Neymar ranked as world’s most expensive player

 

Neymar has been ranked as the most valuable player in Europe by a new study that claims the Brazilian is worth a massive £185.42m.

The report by the CIES Football Observatory aims to provide a scientific approach to transfer values and has now come up with a list of the 110 most valuable players in Europe.

The values are determined by an algorithm based on analysis of close to 2,000 transfers and looks at performance, contract, international status, age and position.

And after all that it is Neymar who tops the bill ahead of Tottenham duo Harry Kane and Dele Alli, while Lionel Messi appears in fourth valued at £133.5m and Luis Suarez is sixth at £123.9m.

Other Barca stars to feature are goalkeeper Marc-Andre ter Stegen (35th), Samuel Umtiti (41st), Ivan Rakitic (49th), Andre Gomes (80th), Sergio Busquets (94th).

It’s also interesting to see where some of Barcelona’s reported transfer targets feature in the list.

The club’s top target seems to be PSG’s Marco Verratti, who is way down in 67th and valued at £48.5m, which is far below the figures being talked about in the latest speculation which suggests Barca will offer over £88m.

Elsewhere, Hector Bellerin comes in at £49.9m, Christian Eriksen at £72.6m and Ousmane Dembele at a massive £76.65m.

Other names to complete the top 10 are Antoine Griezmann, Paul Pogba, Gonzalo Higuain, Eden Hazard and Paulo Dybala, with Cristiano Ronaldo in 11th.