Most valuable players in 2022/23: Haaland equals Mbappé – Three Real Madrid players in top XI

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20 years of market values 

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In the 2022/23 season Manchester City (squad value €1.05bn) won the treble and Lionel Messi the World Cup. Chelsea (€1.02bn) became the highest spending club in history, and Kylian Mbappé was once again the most valuable player in the world. As part of 20 years of market values on Transfermarkt, we look back to the 2022/23 season. 

Paris Saint-Germain (€883m) star Mbappé confirmed his €180m market value. The Frenchman scored eight goals at the World Cup, including a hattrick in the final against Argentina. At the club level, Mbappé was directly involved in 51 goals across 43 games—only Erling Haaland, who joined Man City for €60m from Dortmund that summer, was more productive. The Norwegian star scored 53 goals in 52 games and assisted another nine. His market value improved to €170m in June and then was upgraded to €180m during the season.

The most players in the most valuable XI played for Real Madrid (€871m), who lost in the semifinals of the Champions League against Man City. Thibaut Courtois, Federico Valverde and Vinicius Junior managed the jump in the XI. In Bayern Munich’s Alphonso Davies and Matthijs de Ligt as well as Dortmund’s Jude Bellingham three players from the Bundesliga made the cut. Haaland aside, Rúben Dias also represented Man City. 

Chelsea with record spendings – Premier League invests more than other top leagues

The transfer market in 2022/23 was dominated by Chelsea’s investments under new owner Todd Boehly. Altogether, the London club invested €630m in 17 new players including €121m in January for World Cup winner Enzo Fernández, who became the most expensive signing that season. The club with the second most spending was Manchester United (€859m) with €243m. 

In the top ten of the clubs with the most investments, nine were from the Premier League, which invested €3.16bn in new players. The four other top leagues, Serie A, LaLiga, Bundesliga and Ligue 1 spent just €2.8bn together.