Most Valuable Premier League Players of 2021

Football is increasingly becoming a multi-faceted industry as the influence of sponsors, viewers and the billionaires that own many of Europe’s top clubs, increases. And like any growing industry, there is bound to be an influx of money which means that player and staff wages have gone up significantly in the past decade as well as the amount of transfer fees that are paid for players. It almost seems like, there are records broken every week when a new transfer window comes around.

All of the things that was mentioned above is especially true about the Premier League as it’s the league where the amount of money that the club receive yearly and the amount that they actually spend is obscenely higher than that of their competitors. So let’s get down to the actual nitty-gritty details of Premier League’s finances, specifically the amount of that its stars are valued to find out who are the

most valuable

Premier League players of 2021

:

Most valuable players in the Premier League

In ranking the most valuable players in the Premier League we decided to refer to the Transfermarkt as it is the most credible and reliable source when it comes to player values and all the financial aspects of football:

10. Son Heung Min (Tottenham, South Korea)

We recently highlighted how Son Heung Min has been one of the

for a while. He is even considered by many to be the best Asian player of all time. The Spurs talisman has been on an upward trajectory ever since he set foot in Europe but that is especially true about the recent couple of seasons since his arrival from Bayer Leverkusen to Tottenham in 2015 for a reported £22 million. It is safe to say that Son’s value has gone up significantly from the price Spurs paid for him but why is that?!

Well as you will find out the value of a player depends on many reasons contrary to the public opinion who value players based on their performances alone. And while that is a valid valuation, there are other factors like age, the transfer fee that was paid for the player and the players actual performances in a certain period of time, at play here. In the case of Son, the fact that the South Korean superstar is at the peak of his career by being 29 and seems to be delivering every season and even getting better, makes him one of the

most valuable players in the world

and in the Premier League.

Since his arrival at the club, Son has scored 112 goals and assisted 67 more in 295 games, including 17 goals and 10 assists from last season which was his best tally yet. His rate of 0.6 direct goal involvements per game (goals and assists) is pretty high, especially for a winger in a team that already has a prominent striker like Harry Kane who gets most of the chances. And this is exactly why Son Heung Min is one of the most valuable Premier League players of 2021 by being valued around £76.5m according to transfermarkt.

9. Sadio Mane (Liverpool, Senegal)

There is no doubt that Liverpool has become one of the strongest teams in Europe since the arrival of Jurgen Klopp back in 2015 but even though the German manager is a mastermind when it comes to attacking tactics, Liverpool’s success would never have manifested without their extremely hard-working and yet potently powerful front three, one of which is Sadio Mane who is quite possible the best Senegalese player of all time as well as being one of the best Premier League players right now.

Sadio Mane, who had a tough time growing up and yet always found solace in playing football, started his professional career at Metz and after only a season there transferred to Red Bull Salzburg who are known for developing young talent. He then caught the eye of Southampton in the Premier League where he impressed during the two years he was at the club (2014-2016).

Mane joined

in 2016 for a reported fee of £34 million and has since helped them reach two consecutive Champions League finals (2018 and 2019) where Liverpool won the latter. He was also named the joint-top scorer for the 2018-19 season alongside fellow African Best Player nominees, Aubameyang and Mohammed Salah, and Mane has also helped Liverpool end their 30-year league trophy drought by winning the 2019-20 season in which Mane scored 18 goals.

While the previous season was an underwhelming one for both Liverpool and Mane and his price might have dropped a bit since he only scored 16 goals in all competitions, he is still one of the most valuable Premier League players of 2021 since Transfermarkt puts his value to somewhere around £76.5m. the 2021-22 season has been a great one for Mane so far since he has scored 8 goals in 15 matches already and with his contract coming to an end at the end of the next season, we might actually see Mane leave Liverpool in the summer, it’ll be interesting how much potential suitors would pay for the 29-year old!

8. Bruno Fernandes (Manchester United, Portugal)

Another player that has completely transformed the team he plays for since his arrival is Manchester United’s Bruno Fernandes who was undoubtedly one of the

best Premier League players in 2021

, if not the best. The Red Devils playmaker has brought the much-needed creativity and leadership that Manchester United’s attack lacked in the first period of Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s tenure as United’s manager.

Bruno Fernandes had an unusual development route since the Portuguese superstar didn’t actually establish himself in Portugal but rather in Italy and during the four seasons he spent with

(2016-2016) and Sampdoria (2016-17). He then came back to play in Primeira Liga when he joined Sporting Lisbon and later captained the side until January of 2020. During the 2018-19 season Fernandes became the highest scoring midfielder by scoring an incredible 33 goals which then prompted United to purchase him for a whopping £67.6 million.

But the transfer fee proved to be worth it as Fernandes immediately made an impact going on to score 12 goals in the latter part of 2019-20 season. he then followed it up with an unforgettable season last year where his combined goals and assists for United, 28 goals and 17 assists, secured them a 2nd place finish above the likes of Chelsea, Liverpool and

, topping many of the

Premier League player rankings 2020/21

. Which is why, the 27 year old Fernandes is valued so high (£81m) and is coveted by so many clubs around the Europe.

7. Jadon Sancho (Manchester United, England)

Next up we have Manchester United’s Jadon Sancho who many would consider a surprise inclusion to our list of

most valuable players in the Premier League

since he hasn’t still proven himself yet. However, his appearance on this list is understandable because of his recent high profile transfer from Borussia Dortmund to Manchester United for a reported fee of £76.5m after a lengthy two year transfer saga. While the England international had previously impressed Bundesliga fans and Germans in general he is yet to prove himself to English football fans as his performances for England and Manchester United has been lackluster to put it mildly.

Born and raised in London, Sancho grew up supporting Chelsea football club but his career saw him play for Watford and Manchester City at youth level before joining Borussia Dortmund in 2017 for a reported fee of 8 million pounds. Sancho then went on to severely impress at

whose extremely attacking and fluid football supported by flair players like Marco Reus and Later Erling Haaland, suited Jadon Sancho’s playing style perfectly.

Having scored 50 goals and assisted 64 goals in 137 matches for Dortmund, Sancho had a direct goal involvement rate of 0.83 per game which showed a frightening level of consistency at the top of European football. his performances as well as the fact that he is only 21 years old made Sancho one of the most valuable players in the world and in this Covid-stricken football economy there are a few clubs besides United who could afford to acquire such a player.

Jadon Sancho’s reported value of £81m is mostly due to his recent transfer which was around the same amount as his current value as well as his extremely young age. Although his brief time at Manchester United has not exactly been the way he wanted it to be, with his potential and age, Sancho’s value is almost assured to go even higher.

6. Raheem Sterling (Manchester City, England)

Raheem Sterling has been on top of the Premier League and English news so long that it’s shocking when you find out that the England talisman is still only 26 years old. A product of Liverpool’s youth academy, Sterling was always set to be one of the greatest English players of his generations but his high profile transfer from Liverpool to Manchester City for a reported £44 million in 2015 set him on the path to become one of the

most valuable Premier League players of 2021

.

Since his arrival to Manchester City, Sterling has taken his game leaps forward by each passing season, especially under the tutelage of Pep Guardiola and Mikel Arteta who turned him into a false 9 forward instead of a simple winger. His 116 goals and 89 assists for Manchester City in the 307 matches he has played for the Cityzens boasts of a 0.67 goal and assists per game which is among the top 5 in the Premier League and an incredible asset to Manchester City attacking prowess.

Having already helped

win 3 Premier League titles, 4 League Cups, an FA Cup and a Champions League final appearance, Sterling led the charge for the Three Lions in Euro 2020 this past summer as they went all the way to the final. Despite England’s loss and Sterling’s own unimpressive season in 2020-21, he is still one of the most valuable Premier League players of 2021 by being valued around £81m. it’s important to mention that he was once one of the most valued players in football in 2019 when he was valued around £144m!

5. Kevin De Bruyne (Manchester City, Belgium)

In the last couple of seasons, Kevin De Bruyne has quite possibly been one of the best players in the world as well as being one of the

best Premier League players right now

. The Belgian playmaker is at the heart of everything great that happens at Manchester City and considering the fact that a lot of great things has happened since his arrival at City in 2015, there is no doubt that Kevin De Bruyne is by far the most important player at City.

However, Manchester City’s skipper had not an easy route of reaching where he is today. After enduring a difficult childhood, De Bruyne’s footballing talents, which were apparent even at a young age, propelled him to the front of European football where he impressed by playing for Genk in Belgium. A successful season on loan at Werder Bremen was followed by a high profile transfer to Chelsea where he was criminally underused by Jose Mourinho and decided to leave the club after only 6 months, going back to the Bundesliga (Wolfsburg).

De Bruyne picked up Bundesliga’s Player of the Year award for the 2014-15 season and shortly after transferred to Manchester City for a hefty £55 million fee. He immediately made an impact, becoming the most important player in the squad, providing assists and scoring unbelievable goals. his 70 goals and an incredible 108 assists tally in 270 matches for City couldn’t be matched by any midfielder in Europe, especially for someone like De Bruyne who is a cross between a box to box midfielder and an attacking midfielder.

Having already reached Thierry Henry’s record of 20 assists in a single Premier League season during the 2019-20 campaign, De Bruyne recorded 18 assists and 12 goals in all competitions last season despite losing much of the season due to injuries. by being 30, De Bruyne is the oldest player on our list and his placement so high on the list speaks volumes about his quality since older players tend to drop in value really fast. Currently valued £90m by Transfermarkt, Kevin De Bruyne is one of the most valuable Premier League players of 2021 but having already committed his future to Manchester City until 2025, it’s doubtful that value is ever going to be paid by any other club!

4. Romelu Lukaku (Chelsea, Belgium)

The second Belgian to appear on our list is none other than Chelsea’s Romelu Lukaku. Currently one of the best strikers in football, Romelu Lukaku has had quite the journey to reach this stage. While no one ever doubted the Rocky, it seemed like Lukaku’s time at a top club was over after how he was treated at Manchester United but his move to Inter Milan in 2019 for a fee of £66.6m and his subsequent work with Antonio Conte revitalized his career and now the club that initially brought him to England, Chelsea, has brought him back to address their very apparent striker shortage.

A product of Anderlecht’s youth academy, Romelu Lukaku was scouted out and brought to England by

when he was barely 18. He was then never given a proper chance to play for the Blues and found success on loan at West Bromwich Albion and Everton and then was brought to Manchester United at his peak. While at United he was never utilized in a way to take advantage of his full potential, his subsequent transfer to Inter Milan and the work ethic he adopted under Antonio Conte once again showcased what a striker he is after he scored 64 goals for the Nerazzurri and led them to Serie A glory.

Which then prompted Chelsea to once again bring him back to England with a hefty price tag of £103.5m which makes him the third most expensive transfer in the Premier League (7th in the world). Lukaku has always been regarded as one of the best strikers of his generation but what is interesting is that the cumulative transfer fees that was paid for him is the largest ever in world football and sits somewhere around £300m!

While he started the season great at Chelsea, injuries have set him back but if there is anything that is consistent with Lukaku is his unending hunger to prove himself and he will no doubt try to prove why he is valued around £90m and is one of the

most valuable Premier League players of 2021

.

3. Jack Grealish (Manchester City, England)

The Jack Grealish transfer saga has been going on ever since the midfield maestro was making a name for himself as a teenager at Aston Villa. The former Villa Skipper has had many suitors in the Premier League and Europe in the past couple of seasons but it all came to an end when Manchester City broke the Premier League transfer record and paid Villa £105.75m to finally bring Jack Grealish to the Etihad stadium and make him one of the most valuable players in the world.

Operating mainly as a left winger who liked to drift into middle and act as a playmaker for

, Jack Grealish was the sort of player that is lacking in world football these days. A player that was direct and could quickly create a chance. Which made him perfect for a Manchester City that seemed to thrive on having players like him. So it was a no-brainer when City went in for him especially knowing that their neighbors United were also long time admirers of Grealish.

What was surprising though was that Aston Villa had a secret release clause fee, which was around the fee that Manchester City were already proposing and because of that when City offered the deal, everything fell into the place shortly after and Jack Grealish became a Cityzen. While his recent transfer £105.75m is higher than £90m he is valued at, there is no doubt that Grealish has been one of the best Premier League players in 2021 as well as one of the most valuable players in the Premier League. 

2. Mohamed Salah (Liverpool, Egypt)

Touted by many to be the best player in the world right now, Mohamed Salah has been the focal point of Liverpool’s success and resurgence under Jurgen Klopp. The Egyptian Pharaoh has taken names and has scored goals upon goals ever since he has set his foot in Anfield and at times have dragged Liverpool to glory single-handedly, becoming one of their best players of all time in a club that is rich with history and full of great players. If that is not enough to make him one of the most valuable Premier League players of 2021, we don’t know what will!

While we previously mentioned what a tough season Liverpool had last year with multiple high-profile injuries, Mohamed Salah was yet again atop the

Premier League player rankings in 2020/21

since the Egyptian seems to score for fun even in his off-seasons. Salah managed to score 22 goals and assist a further 5 last season to squeeze Liverpool in a Champions League spot in the final weeks of the season.

That alone makes him one of the best Premier League players right now but what he has done since the start of the 2021-22 season has been quite incredible as he has already scored 15 goals and provided 6 assists in 15 matches he has played this season, giving credence to Klopp’s claim of Salah being the best in the world. While he has been valued at £135m before, he is currently valued at £90m, possibly due to Liverpool’s form from last year and his own age (29) but Mo Salah is still one of the most valuable Premier League players of 2021.

1. Harry Kane (Tottenham, England)

Last but certainly not the least is none other than Tottenham’s skipper Harry Kane who was quite possibly the best player in the Premier League last season despite playing for a mid-table Tottenham who had scores of problems, including a changing of managers. One of the best Premier League players in 2021, Harry Kane was involved in a weird transfer saga which involved him wanting to leave and join Mancheser City, despite having signed a lengthy contract with Tottenham and Spurs not letting him leave in the end.

While the saga has impacted his performances heavily on the pitch, especially in the Premier League this season as he has only scored a single goal in 10 matches he has played in the league this season, the things he did for Tottenham last season as well as leading England to the Euro 2020 final could not be denied and it is the reason, alongside his incredible performances from the seasons before, why he is one of the most valuable players in the world right now and is coveted by so many clubs in Europe.

With 23 goals and 14 assists during the 2020-21 Premier League season, Harry Kane won the Premier League Golden Boot as well as the Best Assist Provider above the likes of Mohamed Salah, Jamie Vardy and Kevin De Bruyne on both categories. He then scored 4 to lead England to the Euro 2020 final, which they eventually lost.

But this all made him one of the most valuable players ever and add to that the fact that he is English, which usually makes a player more valuable, and we arrive at the £108m he is currently valued at. It’ll be interesting to see if anyone will pay that price in the coming transfer windows, especially considering the fact he is unhappy at Spurs!

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