Premier League market value update: Alexander Isak league’s biggest riser, Darwin Núñez & Rasmus Højlund drop

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Bournemouth biggest winners 

©TM/IMAGO

This Tuesday March 18, the Premier League – the most valuable league in the world – received 207 new market values in the latest Transfermarkt intermediate update, increasing its total value by the sum of +€79.05 million, taking the league’s value to a new grand total of €11.82 billion. Newcastle’s star striker Alexander Isak, Arsenal teenager Ethan Nwaneri, and Bournemouth’s young defender Dean Huijsen were among the biggest beneficiaries, whilst the Champions League chasing Cherries also received the biggest increase in squad market value. At the other end of the scale, West Ham’s ageing squad lost the most in market value as a club, with Manchester United and Arsenal also receiving significant overall squad value downgrades. 

No players rose more in value than Isak and Nwaneri, with both receiving +€25m upgrades to take their new market values to €100m and €55m respectively. Bournemouth centre-half Huijsen received the next biggest upgrade (+€24m to €42m), followed by new Manchester City signings Abdukodir Khusanov (+€23m to €35m), and Nico González (+€22m to €40m). There were also significant upgrades for Myles Lewis-Skelly (+€18m to €28m), and Vitor Reis (+€16m to €30m). The biggest losers of the update were Liverpool striker Darwin Núñez (-€15m to €50m), Manchester United forward Rasmus Højlund (-€15m to €45m), and Man City midfielder Bernardo Silva (-€15m to €45m). There were also significant downgrades for Phil Foden (-€10m to €130m), Martin Ødegaard (-€10m to €100m), and Jack Grealish (-€10m to €35m) among others.

Alexander Isak becomes world’s fourth most valuable striker at €100m

Since the last Premier League market value update on December 16, only Mohamed Salah (14) has scored more Premier League goals than Isak (12). He also scored in Newcastle’s 2-1 EFL Cup final win on Sunday. The Swede has flourished for Eddie Howe’s team and has been rewarded with a +€25m upgrade to put him in a very exclusive group. Only four strikers have a market value of €100m+: Erling Haaland (€200m), Kylian Mbappé (€160m), Lautaro Martínez (€110m), and now Isak (€100m). The 25-year-old Magpies’ forward is now Newcastle’s most valuable player, and the seventh most valuable player in the entire Premier League.

Plenty of clubs will be on the hunt for a top striker this summer, and Isak is likely to be at the top of a lot of teams’ lists. Isak has been heavily linked with Arsenal, Liverpool and Barcelona in the past, but it’s likely to take a big offer for Newcastle to let him leave St James’ Park. Isak was signed from Real Sociedad for €70m back in 2022, and his current contract runs until 2027. His market value has now risen by +€70m since he came to the North East three years ago from Spain.

Darwin Núñez, Rasmus Højlund & Bernardo Silva with biggest downgrades

Núñez’s difficult season continued in the Champions League last week, as his penalty was saved against Paris Saint-German, with Liverpool crashing out. The Uruguayan has struggled to become a starter under Arne Slot, and has missed numerous good chances across the campaign. As such, his market value has fallen by -€15m to a new value of €50m. Another striker who has had a woeful campaign to date has been Man United centre-forward Højlund – the Dane has only scored once since early December and has just three goals in 23 league games this term. His market value also falls by -€15m to a new value of €45m. At the start of the year he was the most valuable U21 player in the division; he’s now 22 years old and his market value has taken a significant blow.

Manchester City’s terrible season has been somewhat unprecedented under Pep Guardiola this term. As well as crashing out of the Champions League, they are fifth in the Premier League having already lost nine games. One of the many reasons behind their demise has been the huge drop in form of their playmaker Silva. Now 30 years of age, his performances have fallen off a cliff, and as such his market value decreases by -€15m this March to a new value of €45m. The Portuguese star still remains the third most valuable midfielder aged 30 or older in the world. Other older stars such as Heung-min Son (-€8m to €30m) and Kevin De Bruyne (-€8m to €27m) were also on the rough end of downgrades due to their age.

Phil Foden & Martin Ødegaard pay the price for disappointing form

Much like his teammate Silva, Foden has endured a miserable campaign. Last season’s Premier League player of the year had an awful Euro 2024 with England, and has failed to replicate such form in this campaign for Man City. The 24 year old has just seven goals and two assists in 24 Premier League games. He is still undoubtedly an incredibly talented player and will be hoping to put his recent bad form behind him, but in this update his market value drops by -€10m to €130m. It’s been a similar story for Arsenal captain Ødegaard. The Norwegian has struggled without the Gunners’ usual front three available to aid him, but when Mikel Arteta’s team have needed creativity from their skipper, the 26 year old hasn’t been able to consistently provide it. Just two goals and three assists in an injury interrupted Premier League season means a -€10m downgrade for Ødegaard to €100m.

Arsenal academy talents Ethan Nwaneri & Myles Lewis-Skelly get big upgrades

At the other end of the scale, one of the huge positives of Arsenal’s season has been the emergence of two Hale End academy graduates in 17-year-old Nwaneri and 18-year-old Lewis-Skelly. Between the pair have played over 2,500 minutes for the first-team this season between them. Nwaneri has scored eight goals and tormented numerous defences, whilst Lewis-Skelly has played way beyond his years inverting from left-back and recently got his first Englanf call-up. Nwaneri’s market value rises by +€25m to a new value of €55m – then only other 17 year old in world football worth more is Lamine Yamal (€180m). Lewis-Skelly rises by +€18m to a new market value of €28m.

Bournemouth & Nottingham Forest biggest winners

Bournemouth and Nottingham Forest have both upset the apple cart this season, and could both still qualify for next season’s Champions League. Forest are currently third in the Premier League, with the Cherries tenth, but only four points behind fifth place. Many young talents have emerged for Andoni Iraola’s side this season, and, as such, their squad value rises the most in the entire Premier League – +€67.8m to €435.5m. Bournemouth now have the 13th most valuable squad in the division, with major rises for Huijsen (+€24m to €42m), Justin Kluivert (+€13m to €35m), Antoine Semenyo (+€7m to €35m), and Milos Kerkez (+€7m to €35m).

Very few could have predicted Forest’s sensational campaign – they are now odds-on to finish in the top-five and get Champions League football next season. Nuno Espírito Santo’s team have been dogged and caused problems for many of the league’s big teams, and have thus been rewarded with a +€41.4m upgrade to take their new squad value to €447m. Their biggest upgrades came for Morgan Gibbs-White (+€10m to €50m), Anthony Elanga (+€10m to €35m), Elliot Anderson (+€6m to €30m), Ola Aina (+€6m to €20m), and Murillo (+€5m to €55m).

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).