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CIES 2025 Valuations: The 10 Most Valuable Players in World Football

CIES valuations place Haaland top, Mbappé third and a new wave of elite young players rising. ahead.

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The era dominated by Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo has given way to a new group of superstars. The CIES Football Observatory has produced fresh valuations that weigh age, contract length and ability to rank the most valuable players in the world right now.

1) Newcastle United — Age: 23 — Top value: £112.5 million
Newcastle paid £69 million for Nick Woltemade last summer, inclusive of add-ons. Signed from Stuttgart as an Alexander Isak replacement, the Germany international has found the net regularly since arriving on Tyneside and is already estimated to be worth an extra £43.5 million.

2) Chelsea — Age: 18 — Top value: £113.4 million
Estêvão arrived at Chelsea after they were crowned world champions last summer. The Brazilian teenager has offered numerous glimpses of his potential, most notably during Chelsea’s 3–0 Champions League win over Barcelona in November, showing speed and agility in tight spaces.

3) Aston Villa — Age: 23 — Top value: £113.4 million
Morgan Rogers has been central to Aston Villa’s impressive 2025. The England international provided 27 goal contributions last season and is on course to match that total in 2025–26, operating as an attacking midfielder or winger after leaving Manchester City’s academy.

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4) Atlético Madrid — Age: 25 — Top value: £117.8 million
Julián Alvarez moved from Manchester City to Atlético Madrid to step out of Erling Haaland’s shadow. He scored 29 goals across all competitions in his debut campaign and remains a regular finisher for Atléti.

5) Liverpool — Age: 22 — Top value: £123.9 million
Florian Wirtz joined Liverpool from Bayer Leverkusen for £116 million including add-ons. The German, who inspired Leverkusen to an unbeaten domestic double in 2023–24, has shown the technical quality that suggests his value could rise further.

6) Bayern Munich — Age: 24 — Top value: £124.8 million
Michael Olise, who played at Crystal Palace, delivered 35 goal contributions in an incredible debut campaign for Bayern in 2024–25 and is projected to build on that form.

7) Paris Saint-Germain — Age: 20 — Top value: £126.5 million
Désiré Doué, signed for £43 million in 2024, starred in last season’s Champions League final with two goals and an assist. The 2025 Golden Boy is now a France regular and a PSG standout.

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8) Real Madrid — Age: 27 — Top value: £191.1 million
Kylian Mbappé moved to Real Madrid and scored 43 goals for the Spanish giants in his debut season. CIES places him among the highest-valued players despite his age.

9) Manchester City — Age: 25 — Top value: £242.5 million
Erling Haaland tops the CIES list. The Norway international set Premier League goalscoring records, is devastatingly clinical and remains Manchester City’s primary scoring threat.

These CIES valuations offer a snapshot of current market perceptions, highlighting a generation of players whose transfer values are driven by proven output and enormous potential.

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Analytics & Stats

Salah becomes first player with 152 goal contributions at one Premier League stadium

Salah reached 152 goal contributions at one Premier League ground, overtaking Henry and Rooney. 2026

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Mohamed Salah set a new Premier League benchmark when he reached 152 goal contributions at a single stadium during Liverpool’s 4–1 thumping of Newcastle United on Saturday. That total places him ahead of the previous record of 151, which was held jointly by Thierry Henry and Wayne Rooney at Highbury and Old Trafford respectively.

Salah’s tally at that ground is compiled from 107 goals and 45 assists, producing the 152 figure that now stands alone at the top. Thierry Henry’s total there was 114 goals and 37 assists for 151, while Wayne Rooney recorded 101 goals and 50 assists for the same combined total.

Mohamed Salah

Goals 107

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Assists 45

Total 152

Thierry Henry

Goals 114

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Assists 37

Total 151

Wayne Rooney

Goals 101

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Assists 50

Total 151

Beyond the stadium-specific milestone, Salah remains on course for other career landmarks in the Premier League. He is fourth on the all-time scoring list with 190, 18 behind Wayne Rooney’s 208 and behind Alan Shearer and Harry Kane. Whether he can move up into third depends on form and remaining fixtures: Liverpool have 14 Premier League games left and Salah has scored four goals in 16 outings this season.

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Goals

Alan Shearer 260

Harry Kane 213

Wayne Rooney 208

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Mohamed Salah 190*

Andrew Cole 187

*stats correct as of Feb. 1, 2026

The past 18 months have been full of broken records for Salah and have strengthened his standing in Premier League history. The clock is ticking for Salah and it is not yet clear how long he has left to rack up the numbers. His current contract says 18 months but his tense relationship with manager Arne Slot may suggest otherwise.

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Analytics & Stats

Salah sets unique Premier League record with 152 goal contributions at one ground

Salah reached 152 goal contributions at one ground, surpassing Henry and Rooney’s 151 totals Feb. 1.

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Mohamed Salah became the first player to register 152 goal contributions at a single Premier League stadium during Liverpool’s 4–1 thumping of Newcastle United on Saturday. That total moves him past the previous high of 151, a mark held jointly by Thierry Henry and Wayne Rooney at Highbury and Old Trafford respectively.

Salah’s landmark is the product of sustained output for Liverpool over several seasons. The numbers at that ground break down as 107 goals and 45 assists, producing a combined total of 152. By comparison, Thierry Henry recorded 114 goals and 37 assists for 151, while Wayne Rooney had 101 goals and 50 assists, also 151.

Salah

Goals

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Assists

Total

Mohamed Salah

107

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45

152

Thierry Henry

114

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37

151

Wayne Rooney

101

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50

151

Beyond this stadium-specific record, Salah is also tracking career scoring milestones in the league. He sits fourth on the all-time Premier League scorers list on 190, 18 behind Wayne Rooney’s 208 return and behind Alan Shearer and Harry Kane. Whether he can climb into third remains an open question given Liverpool have 14 Premier League matches left and Salah has scored four goals in 16 appearances this season.

Player

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Goals

Alan Shearer

260

Harry Kane

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213

Wayne Rooney

208

Mohamed Salah

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190*

Andrew Cole

187

*stats correct as of Feb. 1, 2026

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The past 18 months have been full of broken records for Salah, reinforcing his standing in Premier League history. The clock is ticking for Salah and it is not yet clear how long he has left to rack up the numbers. His current contract says 18 months but his tense relationship with manager Arne Slot may suggest otherwise.

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Analytics & Stats

Neville Criticises Amorim as Mainoo Rises in Carrick’s Midfield Plan

Neville slams Amorim’s handling of Mainoo as Carrick’s system brings midfield balance for United plus

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Gary Neville used blunt language to describe how Kobbie Mainoo was managed at the start of the season, arguing the midfielder was mishandled before finding form under Michael Carrick.

“I must admit, I never liked the handling of Mainoo,” Neville said on the new episode of Stick to Football, accusing Ruben Amorim of damaging the player when it became clear he would not be selected alongside Bruno Fernandes. “I thought it was rubbish,” he added. “It killed him publicly. And then he never put him in the team at all, apart from [against] Grimsby. That was nearly pushing a talented player out of the club before he even really had a chance to perform. You look at him now in these two matches, you think, how could that be? How could [Manuel] Ugarte [be picked ahead of him]?”

Roy Keane welcomed Mainoo’s recent performances. “You couldn’t ask for any more,” he said, adding that the overall turnaround had been “brilliant.” He also warned that conclusions should be cautious given the sample size: “It is only two games,” he warned, wanting to see more.

Paul Scholes praised the renewed midfield balance once Carrick adjusted the system to include both Mainoo and Fernandes while Casemiro remained at No. 6. “Kobbie and Fernandes, they make your team play football,” Scholes said. “When they had just been doing it with Fernandes, they sent [one] to play. He didn’t really have anyone to play with. Now, Kobbie’s also got that ability to play with someone. It makes a big difference.”

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Statistical snapshot from the two recent matches (Man City, Arsenal):
Minutes Played: 90, 90
Rating (Out of 10): 7.5, 6.9
Touches: 51, 54
Passing Accuracy: 91%, 86%
Passes into Final Third: 1, 4
Chances Created: 0, 2
Defensive Contributions: 9, 6

Mainoo’s club revival raises questions about his international prospects. The 20-year-old was instrumental as England reached the Euro 2024 final and has the opportunity to force his way back into the national squad for the World Cup if his run of form continues.

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