Man City: Phil Foden valued as second most expensive player in the WORLD by CIES boffins

Phil Foden is the second-most expensive player in Europe’s top-five leagues, according to a brand new study.  

Analysts at the CIES Football Observatory have used their complex algorithm to estimate the transfer values of 100 players playing in the top divisions in England, France, Germany, Italy and Spain.

Foden, 21, has been ranked at No 2 with a transfer value of £127million, placing him £12m behind the table-topping Real Madrid star, Vinicius Jnr. 

Phil Foden has been valued as the second most valuable player in Europe’s top five leagues

Real Madrid’s Vinicius Jnr (left) claims top spot while Dortmund star Erling Haaland is third

The bi-annual list do not factor in release clauses written into a player’s contract other variables, including age, length of contract, level of competition, number of appearances and then goals, assists and clean sheets, for defenders and goalkeepers. 

Foden made up one of three England internationals in the top 10 with 20-year-old Manchester United Mason Greenwood coming in at £112m, placing him fourth on the list.

Jude Bellingham, who is impressing in Germany with Borussia Dortmund at the age of just 18, is valued at £109m, putting him sixth overall.   

England internationals Mason Greenwood (left) and Jude Bellingham (right) made the top 10

The CIES analysts have Foden’s team-mate at City, Ruben Dias, at eighth overall, with a value of £101m for the 24-year-old centre back.

There is no room in the top 10 for Paris Saint-Germain superstar Kylian Mbappe as he finds himself out of contract in a matter of months. 

Mbappe has been given a nominal value of £60m for this month. It is widely expected that were the Frenchman on a long-term deal in Paris he would displace Vinicius Jnr at No 1.

One of Mbappe’s biggest striking rivals Erling Haaland has earned himself a spot on the CIES podium as the Dortmund star is valued at £119m, placing him third overall.

Haaland, 21, is among Europe’s most wanted players and with 19 goals and five assists so far this season he is doing little to damage his lofty reputation. 

Bayer Leverkusen wonderkid Florian Wirtz is one of four stars from Germany to make the list

The Norwegian striker’s Dortmund contract runs until June 2024 but he is widely expected to depart before then with a release clause rumoured to becoming active as early as the end of this season. 

It is the Bundesliga that is the most represented in the top 10 valuation list with 18-year-old Bayer Leverkusen midfield Florian Wirtz and Bayern Munich full-back Alphonso Davies coming in at fifth and seventh respectively. 

Manchester United reportedly lead the chase for Wirtz, who is turning heads in Germany for his dazzling displays. 

Wirtz, who is tied to a deal running to 2026, has been valued at £111m while Canadian international Davies is valued at £102m.

Despite their woes this season both domestically in Spain and in Europe, Barcelona boast two of the top 10.

Kylian Mbappe is a surprise omission from the top 10 – but his PSG deal expires this summer

Barcelona midfielder Pedri, who won the 2021 Golden Boy award, was ranked at ninth overall

Golden Boy winner Pedri and midfield team-mate Frenkie de Jong round out the CIES top 10.

Pedri is said to be worth £99m while Dutchman De Jong is £3m further back at £96m. 

Outside the top 10 it is a list dominated by the Premier League with seven of the next 10 players currently plying their trade in England. 

Manchester United’s Jadon Sancho (£96m) and Bruno Fernandes (£95m), Liverpool’s Trent Alexander-Arnold (£94m) and Chelsea’s Mason Mount (£91m) are the four closest to cracking the top 10 highest valued players across Europe.