Eredivisie market values: Johan Bakayoko new MVP – Santiago Gimenez drops again

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478 player updated 

Transfermarkt has updated the market values of 478 Eredivisie players, and in Johan Bakayoko, there is a new most valuable player in the Dutch first division. The PSV Eindhoven forward is one of several changes in the top ten. While Bakayoko is now the no.1 thanks to a market value increase, the previous most valuable player, Feyenoord’s Santiago Gimenez, has seen his market value drop once again. Other notable players with changes are Malik Tillman (PSV) and Ajax’s latest wunderkind, Jorrel Hato. 

“Bakayoko evolved this season to become the most valuable player in the Eredivisie,” Area Manager Netherlands Kevin Lux said. “The Belgian winger started the year with a clear mission: to become champions with PSV. Bakayoko’s decision proved to be the right one because he did not only succeed in becoming champions, but he also played consistently throughout the season and managed to stay healthy. In doing so, he can leave PSV this summer as the most valuable player in the Eredivisie and as a bigger name than he was last year.” After scoring 14 goals and 14 assists in 48 games across all competitions, the 21-year-old winger saw his market value improve by 12.5% to €45m. 

That improvement was enough to pass the previous most valuable player, Gimenez. After an incredible start to the season, Feyenoord’s Mexican star striker saw his market increase from €25m in June 2023 to €50m in December 2023. But then his production slowed and Gimenez has now seen his market value drop for the second time in a row. “Gimenez scored 18 goals between August and December and only five since the start of the new year,” Lux said. “He quickly rose to stardom at the beginning of the season with rumors that some clubs were ready to offer around €100m for the Mexican, and he became the first player since Donny van de Beek to crack the €50m mark in the Dutch league. But given his performances in the second half of the season, many clubs will now think twice before they make a significant offer for Gimenez.” 

US men’s national team player Tillman, in the meantime, made the most of another Mexican dropping in form. With Hirving Lozano (-€3m to €15m) set to leave the club for Major League Soccer expansion side San Diego FC, Tillman quickly became the preferred option on the wing for head coach Peter Bosz. “Seven assists and four goals since he came back after a small injury in February convinced PSV to negotiate a permanent deal with Bayern Munich for €12m,” Lux said. “With the imminent departure of Lozano and Bakayoko, we expect Tillman to be a big part of PSV’s attacking line next season. If he continues to perform like he did the last few months, Tillman could become the next big thing in the Dutch league.” Tillman saw his market value improve from €17m to €20m as part of the Eredivisie update. 

Tillman and Bakayoko are part of what has been an incredible season for PSV. “PSV had an incredible season,” Lux said. “Everything clicked for Bosz’s side. I expect PSV to cash in on some of the better players.” Other players to watch are Joey Veerman (+€8m to €40m) and Jerdy Schouten (+€4m to €28m). But while things have been great at PSV, their biggest competitor, Ajax, had a season to forget. The Dutch record champions finished the season in fifth place with just 56 points. “What happened at Ajax this season will probably end up in being a Hollywood movie or Netflix drama show some day,” Lux said. “Market value-wise, this was one of their worst years, with only Hato and Brian Brobbey improving their value.

Brobbery saw his market value improve by 40% to now €35m and is now one of the five most valuable players in the Eredivisie. Hato, in the meantime, is up by 36.4% to now €30m. “No teenager played more minutes in Europe this season than Hato,” Lux said. “The young defender, who turned 18 during the season, never had to be afraid of losing his spot in Ajax’s first eleven. Not even when the Amsterdam side stood in last place in the Eredivisie, and many managers would have opted for more experience in the defensive line. He has made his fair share of errors during the season, but that is all part of any young player’s learning curve. Despite Ajax’s struggles, Hato convinced big clubs like Arsenal that he is a viable option for the future.” 

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).