10 players with the biggest decline in market value - January 2022
The transfer window can be the most exciting time for a football club. Fans wait with bated breath to see which superstar will join their beloved club and elevate its standards. There have been several spectacular transfers in the world of football. With rich owners taking over top clubs across Europe, the transfer fee for players has gone through the roof.
Not all superstars are worth the big buck, however. While they may have taken the world by storm when they emerged, several reasons have contributed to their downfall in the transfer market.
Age and poor form are interlinking factors behind a player’s declining market value. In other cases, players may perform exceptionally well in one league but may falter in another. This again contributes to the decrease of stature in the market.
We now take a look at ten players who have seen a drastic fall in their market value.
#10 Miralem Pjanic
Miralem Pjanic shone for Juventus during the four seasons he spent with the Bianconeri. He then made a move to Spain when Barcelona exchanged midfielder Arthur for a deal worth an initial €72 million. Miralem Pjanic moved in the opposite direction for a fee close to €60 million.
The deal was widely criticized as Arthur had shown glimpses of quality and was a promising prospect at Barcelona. Barca fans didn’t expect Arthur’s banishment under Quique Setien. To add to their frustration, Pjanic has been abysmal at Barcelona and has struggled to make an impact.
Barcelona outcast Miralem Pjanic tells Juventus stars to 'think twice' about transfer to Nou Camp thesun.co.uk/sport/17228172… https://t.co/wSKbypASCZ
Pjanic’s market value dropped to €18 million from his earlier valuation of €50 million. He has been a ghost at Barcelona and was loaned out at the start of the season to Besiktas. Many believe the 31-year-old has thrown away the most crucial years of his life. With the likes of Pedri and Frenkie de Jong in Barca’s midfield, Pjanic doesn’t appear to have a future at the club.
#9 Roberto Firmino
While Firmino has never been known for an insane goalscoring rate, his work off the ball was a specialty under Jurgen Klopp. Unlike Mohamed Salah or Diogo Jota who can work individually, the Brazilian works best as a team player.
Firmino drops deeper to help with the link-up play and drags defenders out of position to open up space for teammates. On several occasions in previous seasons, this has helped the likes of Salah and Mane capitalize and score.
Firmino’s value has dropped from €72 million to €38 million. The 30-year-old has been sidelined in Liverpool’s squad of late due to the performances of Jota, who has 10 goals in the current season. Firmino’s pressing and defensive contributions have also decreased markedly over the past few seasons. Although his work off the ball has been commendable, scoring goals is still a necessary aspect if you are a centre-forward.
#8 Saul Niguez
Saul Niguez has been Atletico Madrid’s mainstay in midfield over the past several seasons. Saul began his career in their youth team where he spent four years. The Spaniard won La Liga, two Europa Leagues, one Spanish Cup, and one Super Cup with Atletico in the seven years he spent in their senior squad.
After a splendid end to the 2020-21 campaign, Saul was signed by Chelsea on a loan deal. He has hardly featured for the Blues this Premier League season, making just five appearances with a playing time of less than 180 minutes. He has started just two games for Thomas Tuchel.
Saul Niguez is only just getting started at Chelsea 💪 https://t.co/52gr5wxrcj
Saul’s market value was €70 million but has now fallen to €35 million. Saul’s performances for Chelsea have drawn a lot of criticism and he has failed to make an impact. The Spaniard was unceremoniously taken off at halftime after poor performances in both of his Premier League starts.