This week it was revealed that Liverpool’s Egyptian sensation Mohamed Salah’s transfer value had increased more than any other player’s in Europe’s top five leagues.
Salah is only 25 years old and is currently the Premier Leagues top scorer with 24 goals already this season. But new data from the CIES has revealed that Salah’s value has almost doubled since his move to Liverpool, to a staggering £144 million pounds.
Now I have a few queries about this. My first one, who is the CIES? Upon Googling ‘CIES Rankings’, I was met by several Government documents but nothing on the transfer values of Europe’s top football players.
My second is that Salah arrived at Liverpool for a substantial, but not bank-busting £34 million in September last year, but the CIES valued him at more than double that at £78 million at the time of his move.
So since the start of the season, Salah’s value has risen from £78 million to £144 million, according to the CIES Rankings – that’s an increase of £66.4 million.
I am in no way doubting that his value may well have doubled since coming to Liverpool, given the fine form that he has been in all season. But my doubt in these ‘rankings’ was furthered upon looking down the list.
It comes as some surprise to see Burnley midfielder Jack Cork make the list, in 48th place with an increase in value of £16.3 million, and Leicester’s Harry Maguire in 13th with an increase of £31.5 million. And in 10th place is failed Newcastle United forward, and now Marseille man Florent Thauvin who is now estimated to cost £73 million with an increase of £34.1 million this season.
Salah’s Liverpool teammate Joe Gomez also makes the top 10, with an increase of £42.9 million making him worth an estimated £50.8 million.
The CIES claims these figures are calculated using a ‘unique algorithm’ which entangles data from players who have not changed clubs or renewed their contracts in the last 6 months.
This would probably make for bad reading for Liverpool fans. Yes, it is nice to see our players value increasing but at the same time, as we continue to not win a trophy it could only attract the like of Madrid, Barca and PSG even more so.