4 hours ago
1
869 updates
©TM/IMAGO
With less than a month to go to the 2026 FIFA World Cup, in which Argentina will try to defend its title, Transfermarkt has updated the market values of 869 Torneo Apertura players. And there has been some movement at the very top. Downgrades and significant upgrades mean there is now a new most valuable player at the very top: Milton Delgado (Boca Juniors). There is now a group of three players behind him at €9m: Tomás Aranda (Boca), Tobías Andrada (Vélez Sarsfield), and Santiago Beltrán (River Plate). Among the downgrades are Chelsea loanee Kendry Páez at River Plate and Independiente's Kevin Lomónaco, whose valuation has been reduced from €9m to €8m.
Let’s start with the bad news. On loan from Chelsea at River Plate, Páez continues to struggle in Argentina. “He was also downgraded in the last update earlier this spring,” Area Manager South America and Argentina, Scott Christensen, said. “Páez arrived from one of Europe’s top five leagues to gain playing time, but when he did play, he didn’t perform. Kendry has a strong personality for his age; he tries to associate in attack and is a good dribbler. Despite being just 18 years old, he's already had a long career. River is his fourth club, but he didn't play much in Europe. He's still struggling to find his place in River and is usually out of the starting XI.”
As for Lomónaco, Christensen still believes he is one of the best center-backs in Argentine football. “He peaked early in 2025,” Christensen said. “As a result, there hasn’t been a transfer to a top league, and he is still playing in Argentina at 24. That’s kind of ‘old’ for a player playing in an exporting country. Rumours have now linked him with a move to Real Betis or Real Oviedo; I think there is a chance that Independiente will sell him this transfer window.”
Argentina market values: Boca stars on the up – 200% upgrade for Andrada
At Boca, the news has been much better with both Delgado and emerging star Aranda experiencing upgrades. “Delgado is a young midfielder who, despite having to compete with Leandro Paredes (unchanged), Ander Herrera (-€100,000 to €500,000), and Santiago Ascacíbar (-€1.5m to €5.5m) managed to win his position on the starting XI,” Christensen said. “He is a player who always performs. Although small, he always positions himself well. Boca have received offers in the region of €7-8m during the last two transfer windows but refused to sell. They want to see him increase his potential. He is also part of Argentina’s 55-player list for the World Cup, which could further bolster his value.”
While Delgado saw his market value go up by €3m to €10m, Aranda had a massive 1025% jump from €800,000 to €9m. It is the biggest upgrade by percentage ahead of River's goalkeeper Beltrán (+500% to €9m), “He is an emerging talent who started playing just a few months ago, and is having some outstanding performances,” Christensen said. “He is really skilled, especially at breaking the lines with the ball at his feet. Aranda is already a starter at Boca, even though he is just 18. He's a starter at Boca Juniors at just 18 years old, and playing as an offensive midfielder. He's very good at finding spaces to receive the ball and leading his team's attacks, often breaking lines with through balls and dribbles. Like Delgado, he is part of Argentina’s 55-player list for the World Cup.”
Also going to €9m at the top is Vélez’s Andrada. The 19-year-old defensive midfielder saw his market value increase 200% from €3m to €9m. “He is a polyvalent player,” Christensen said. “He's played as a defensive midfielder, as a midfielder, as an offensive midfielder, as a right midfielder and even as a right wing. His characteristics make him an attractive player for top European clubs, as he's one of those box-to-box players with great physical attributes and clarity in every aspect of the game. Rumours link him with a move to Bayern Munich.” All those things are good arguments for an upgrade, which he now received ahead of the World Cup in North America.
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).
Note: When you search for something on Google, you’ll see a box with the latest news alongside the usual results. If you set Transfermarkt as your preferred source, our content will appear there more often. Add Transfermarkt as your preferred source here.
