156 players have received updated market values.
Following the market value updates in Spain and Italy, France’s Ligue 1 becomes the third of Europe’s top five leagues to undergo a significant market valuation review. In total, 156 players in Ligue 1 saw their market values reassessed. Ousmane Dembélé once again tops the list, now valued at €100m following a €10m increase from €90m. He stands alone as the only player in Ligue 1 with a market value exceeding €100m.
“His Ballon d’Or victory warranted a market value increase,” stated Ronan Caroff, Transfermarkt Area Manager for France. “Dembélé is now the clear frontrunner in team value, rather than sharing the spotlight with teammates. It’s the first time since the 2018/19 season at age 22 that he has reached the €100 million benchmark. While he started the season strongly, a hamstring injury has sidelined him for over a month, reminiscent of his injury struggles at Barcelona. If his long-term fitness were not a concern, his market value might have experienced a larger increase.”
While Dembélé has moved beyond the €90m bracket, the pool of players at that valuation has expanded from three to four, thanks to Vitinha and João Neves, each receiving a €10m boost to reach €90m. They now join teammates Désiré Doué and Khvicha Kvaratskhelia as the second most valuable players in the league. “Both started their season competing in the UEFA Nations League and maintained their fitness levels,” Caroff noted. “Vitinha has also taken on a vice-captain role and has been impactful on the pitch, while Neves has struggled with injuries recently but was previously one of the most exciting talents in the league.”
PSG Market Values: Ilya Zabarnyi Rises – Young Stars’ Fluctuations
PSG’s new acquisition, Ilya Zabarnyi, has witnessed a noteworthy increase in market value. “This summer, PSG made only two major signings, spending €40m on goalkeeper Lucas Chevalier (+€10m to €40m) and €63m +€3m on Zabarnyi,” Caroff explained. The rise in Zabarnyi’s worth—from €42m to €55m—reflects the influence of his transfer fee. “His current market value still hasn’t quite reached his transfer fee but a €13m increase demonstrates his rising status, especially as he has become PSG’s most utilized center-back this season.”
The standout performer percentage-wise among PSG players is 17-year-old forward Ibrahim Mbaye, whose market value skyrocketed by 400%, from €3m to €15m. “His development is impressive, as he is nearing his total playing time from last season,” Caroff highlighted. “At just 17, he has cemented his place in the first team, which is rare for players from the PSG academy. While he hasn’t yet showcased the statistical impact of his U19 games, where he netted 15 goals and provided 19 assists in 36 games, coach Luis Enrique recently started him over Kang-in Lee.”
Mbaye isn’t the only teenager experiencing shifts in market value. While Senny Mayulu saw a €10m rise to €25m, the situation has worsened for Warren Zaïre-Emery. Once heralded as one of football’s brightest prospects, his market value surged to €60m but has been reassessed downward consecutively. After a dip to €55m in June, a further decrease to €50m became inevitable, considering he has accumulated just 781 minutes across 16 matches with no goals or assists to show for it.
Ligue 1 Market Values: American Players Thrive – Strasbourg Rising
Overall, the latest market value update has favored American players in Ligue 1. At Olympique Marseille, Timothy Weah’s market value rose by €3m, reaching €20m. “After returning to France from Juventus, Weah has performed well, particularly in significant matches. His contributions were vital in securing a 1-0 victory over PSG, and he also made an impact in the 1-0 loss to Lyon and a narrow 1-2 defeat to Real Madrid, where he scored OM’s sole goal,” Caroff said. Given his loan agreement with the potential obligation to buy at €20m, Weah’s current valuation aligns with this expected transfer fee.
At Olympique Lyon, Tanner Tessmann, another USMNT player, saw his market value surge by 66.7%, from €6m to €10m. “With recent departures like Thiago Almada and Nemanja Matić, as well as Orel Mangala’s injury, there were concerns about Lyon’s midfield solidity. Lacking funds for new acquisitions, they turned to the squad. After a limited role last season, Tessmann has become a regular starter this season, contributing two goals and earning a well-deserved valuation rise.”
There’s also notable progress with the BlueCo-owned Strasbourg team, known as a breeding ground for Chelsea talent. Their market value increased by around €20m, focusing on players whose current valuation surpasses their previous worth. Lucas Høgsberg jumped from €3.5m to €10m, Joaquín Panichelli from €7m to €12m, Martial Godo from €0.6m to €4m, and Rafael Luís from €1.2m to €4m. Performance-based increases were noted for Valentín Barco (+€3m to €15m) and Samuel Amo-Ameyaw (+€2m to €6m). Moreover, homegrown talents like Abdoul Ouattara and Samir El Mourabet also enjoyed increases to €4m and €2m, respectively, after strong early showings in a competitive midfield.
Ligue 1 Market Values: Egan-Riley Drops – Cresswell Increases
In this latest update, two young English defenders experienced divergent market movements. CJ Egan-Riley at Marseille saw his value decline from €16m to €15m. “Despite the €1m drop, concerns are minimal at this stage; Roberto De Zerbi appears to be experimenting with his lineup based on opponents,” Caroff noted. “Egan-Riley was not utilized at all in September following three starts in August, with a red card against Lyon likely affecting his standing. Competition for his position is stiff, as many teammates have more experience.”
Conversely, former Leeds United defender Charlie Cresswell at Toulouse witnessed a 20% market value rise from €10m to €12m. “Cresswell attracted considerable interest last summer from clubs like Roma and Liverpool,” Caroff mentioned. “Although Toulouse set a €17m asking price that went unmet, Cresswell’s value increment aligns with the growing attention around him. At 23, he played a pivotal role in England’s recent U21 European Championship victory and is a key figure at Toulouse.”
Understanding Transfermarkt Market Values
Transfermarkt market values are determined using a range of valuation models, heavily influenced by the Transfermarkt community’s discussions and evaluations. These values should not be considered equivalent to transfer fees.
The aim is not to predict a sale price but to ascertain a player’s expected value in an open market. Several factors impact these market values, including specific transfer conditions and situational elements. Transfermarkt does not utilize algorithms to set these values (for more details on market value definition, refer to [this link]).
