Mendes rises by €10m
Transfermarkt has updated more than 150 player market values in the French Ligue 1 in an intermediary update. At Paris Saint-Germain, both the two highest upgrades and the two biggest downgrades can be found. The most significant increases in squad value are received by surprise teams Lens and Lorient.
Nuno Mendes and Vitinha improved their standing at PSG in such a way that both players record a market value increase of €10 million. “Mendes is now the clear number one in the left-back position for head coach Galtier, whose 3-4-2-1 or 3-4-3 system opens up the possibility for him to act more attack-minded at times,” said Ronan Caroff, Area Manager France, explaining the upgrade of Mendes, whom PSG signed for €38m via an option to buy following a successful loan spell. The advanced position helped the 20-year-old to a goal and two assists early in the season. “The jump to a new market value of €50m also reflects these elements,” Caroff said.
In the top 10 of Ligue 1’s most valuable players, Mendes thus replaces new teammates Fabián Ruiz and Carlos Soler, both of whom were signed ahead of the new season to strengthen the side in central midfield but are yet to play a major role in the league. While Soler drops to €40m, Ruíz, now valued at €45m, loses his rank as the most valuable midfielder at PSG to Marco Verratti, who remains at €50m. Vitinha, who again generated a transfer fee above his previous valuation of €30m, also catches up, valued at €40m now. “Vitinha has been in the starting eleven in every game so far,” Ronan said. “So, the new market value also reflects his role in this big team much better.”
€25m to €160m – The most valuable Ligue 1 players
Zaire-Emery & Odobert receive first market values – 900% increase for Doué
Caroff also highlights several talents whose development required a market value adjustment. “Although a player with only few minutes as a first team player yet, Warren Zaïre-Emery is still one of the most hyped youth players PSG have produced in recent years,” Caroff said. The top club’s crowded midfield still stands in the way of quicker development at the highest level, but Caroff is certain that the 16-year-old will get his chance. “Sooner or later, he will play himself into focus,” Caroff said. Zaïre-Emery is given a market value for the first time ever and is immediately valued at €5m.
Wilson Odobert also receives a starting market value after leaving Paris. The 17-year-old’s move to Troyes on a free transfer paid off, with the winger scoring two goals early in the season, proving he has the quality for professional football already, according to Caroff. Even before his 18th birthday at the end of November, the U-18 international thus receives an initial market value of €3.5m.
Désiré Doué impressed at Stade Rennais as well. The 17-year-old attacking midfielder, who rose through the team’s own youth ranks, was given an initial valuation of €400,000 in the spring. Now, after appearing in all of the first eight games of the season, his value rises to €4m, an increase of 900%. Head coach Bruno Genesio recently stated that Doué still has room for improvement, but is developing a little quicker than expected.
Next downgrade for Aouar: “Nothing seems to be able to stop his decline”
With a minus of €5m to just €20m now, things are clearly going downhill for former Nottingham Forest target Houssem Aouar of Olympique Lyon. “Another transfer window closed without Aouar being sold, although there were offers,” Caroff said. “However, these were often deceptive, barely getting past €10m as Aouar enters the final year of his contract. He also lost influence in Lyon’s hierarchy, with little game time this season due to injury. Nothing seems to be able to stop his decline.” It is the seventh downgrade for Aouar since October 2020.
Meanwhile, at Stade Rennais, the two most valuable attacking players are moving closer together. While Amine Gouiri and Martin Terrier were separated by €17m before the update, Terrier is now closing in on his colleague with only a €3m gap between them now, as the 25-year-old is up €7m to €32m, while 22-year-old Gouiri is down €7m, the third largest decrease in the update and his second in a row, leaving him with a market value of just €35m. “Terrier is one of the most stable factors in Stade Rennais’ shaky start to the season, while Gouiri, with a long goal drought last season and a transfer well below his previous valuation, had to be downgraded,” Caroff said.
Surprise teams in Ligue 1: Fofana shines at Lens, Ouattara at Lorient
It is also worth taking a look at the surprise teams of RC Lens and FC Lorient. Lens can boast four of the 15 biggest upgrades of the update and strengthen their standing not least by keeping Seko Fofana. “He was perhaps the hottest topic of the summer in France, but decided to extend with Lens for another year until 2025,” Caroff said. “Fofana can now lead his team free of the burden of transfer rumours and once again be one of the best midfielders in Ligue 1.” The consequence is an upgrade of €5m to a new career high of €30m. Lens, with a good start to the season despite numerous departures, increased their total value by more than €21m.
At Lorient, Dango Ouattara can even boast an upgrade of almost eight times his previous value. “He fully blossomed under new head coach Régis Le Bris, while he was only a substitute under Christophe Pélissier,” Caroff said about the winger, who is being upgraded from €900,000 to €7m. “Lorient are the biggest surprise in the world so far this season,” said Caroff. “And other players like Terem Moffi (+€3m to €12m) and Enzo Le Fée (+€3m to €9m) can show their talent more and more.” After just eight games, Lorient already picked up 19 points. The face of this development is mainly Ouattara.
How Transfermarkt market values work
The Transfermarkt market values are calculated, taking into account various pricing models. A major factor is the Transfermarkt community, whose members discuss and evaluate player market values in detail. In general, the Transfermarkt market values are not to be equated with transfer fees.
The goal is not to predict a price but an expected value of a player in a free market. Both individual transfer modalities and situational conditions are relevant in determining market values. Examples of this are listed below. Transfermarkt does not use an algorithm (you can find the detailed market value definition here).
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