It is a sector that has not been spared, despite the staggering sums it generates each year. The economic crisis caused by the Covid-19 epidemic will cause a drop in the value of football players which could in particular exceed 20% for PSG stars Kylian Mbappé and Neymar, said a study by the firm KPMG on Wednesday.
"The coronavirus crisis will most certainly have an impact on the value of players [...] Financial constraints will probably lead to a drop in both the number of transactions and in the amount of transfers" in favor of loans or exchanges of players, writes KMPG.
The cases of 4000 players evaluated
The firm tried to quantify the loss of value of more than 4000 players playing in the ten main European championships: English Premier League and Championship (2nd division), Spain, Germany, Italy, France, Netherlands, Belgium, Turkey and Portugal .
His research shows an average loss of 20% in value for the twenty most expensive players if the end of the season is canceled and 13% if it resumes and goes to its end. With 21.5% and 21.7% respectively, facing the scenario of the stopping of Ligue 1, Mbappé and Neymar, the two most expensive players in Europe, are a little above this average.
The French striker is valued between 177 and 188 million euros, against 225 in the estimate of KPMG in February, while Neymar would no longer be worth 175 but between 137 and 149.
The value of Messi even more reached
Argentinian Lionel Messi, soon to be 33, would lose between 23.2% and 27.5% of his value (at 127/134 million) and Belgian Eden Hazard would be worth between 95 and 101 million, a drop of 25.5 % to 29.8% of the 136 valuation in February.
Conversely, Raheem Sterling (Manchester City) would lose only 10.5% to 13.8%, for a value between 129 and 134 million euros, the third most expensive player in Europe. His compatriot Jadon Sancho, just 20 years old, would be worth between 121 and 127, only 8.5% and 13.4% less than three months ago.
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At club level, Manchester City has the most expensive squad in Europe. Paris SG would only be 7th, while it was 6th in February. But in the top 10, it is especially Barcelona (between 20.5% and 28.9%) and Real Madrid (from 19.1% to 27.2%), followed closely by Chelsea (from 19% to 27 %) who suffer the strongest impact.
