Kaoru Mitoma, Heung-min Son & Co – The most valuable Asian players in the world

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Five players worth €35m+ 

The increase of top level Asian players in Europe’s top leagues has been noticeable for some time now. The 2002 World Cup in Japan and South Korea put many of these players on the map and grew football in the continent, with Japan making it to the round of 16 and South Korea becoming the first-ever Asian team to make it to a World Cup semi-final in that tournament. In the last decade Heung-min Son has been one of the best and most consistent players in the Premier League, while many other stars such as Takefusa Kubo and Min-jae Kim have become stars in some of Europe’s top-five leagues. 

So who are the most valuable Asian players in the world right now? This week in the Eredivisie market value updated, defender Mees Hilgers became the most valuable Indonesian player of all time, reaching a new market value of €10m. He now features in the top 20, with Japan and South Korea dominating the rest of the list.

In first place is Real Sociedad winger Kubo. The 23 year old has scored 18 goals and provided 14 assists in 95 games for the Spanish side and was linked with many top European clubs last summer including Liverpool. He has played 38 times for his native Japan, scoring five goals for his country. In second place – due to his age – is Brighton’s Kaoru Mitoma. The 27 year old has become one of the Seagulls’ star men and the Japanese winger has a current market value of €45m. Behind Mitoma only because he is a few months older is Bayern Munich and South Korea defender Min-jae Kim who also has a market value of €45m and is also 27. 

In fourth place with a market value of €45m, but being 32 years old, is Tottenham superstar Son. The South Korean attacker has scored Premier League goals (by far the most of any Asian player in the division’s history) and the only 32 year old currently worth more is Mohamed Salah (€55m). In fifth place is Arsenal and Japan defender Takehiro Tomiyasu with a market value of €35m. He is followed by Bayern’s summer acquisition Hiroki Ito, who is valued at €30m.

Next up, two South Korean’s boast a market value of €25m, but coming in at seventh place due to his younger age of 23 is PSG’s Kang-in Lee. In eighth is 28 year old Wolves attacker Hee-chan Hwang. Ninth goes to former Liverpool forward, now of Monaco, Takumi Minamino – the Japanese star has a market value of €20m. Completing the top 10 is Freiburg’s Japanese defender Ritsu Doan who is valued at €18m.