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As the last of the top five leagues, Transfermarkt has updated the market values of 571 Serie A players. The top four players in Italy's first division, Lautaro Martínez (€85 million), Alessandro Bastoni (€80m; both Inter Milan), Kenan Yıldız (€75m; Juventus), and Rafael Leão (€70m; AC Milan) all remain unchanged. New in the top five is Como’s Nico Paz. The Spanish playmaker saw his market value increase by €10m from €55m to €65m to push ahead of AC Milan’s US men’s national team star Christian Pulisic (€60m) into the top five of the most valuable players in Serie A.
“Paz stands out with his technique, vision, and feeling for space,” Transfermarkt Area Manager Italy Jatin Dietl said. “Those abilities allow him to control the tempo of a game and play precise passes between the lines. Although pressing isn’t one of his biggest strengths, he compensates for it by making smart runs. He also dribbles well and is good in the air. He certainly stands out at Como and has already been directly involved in ten goals. Together with Yıldız, he is one of the most exciting talents in Serie. But because Real Madrid have a buy-back option for him for just €10m, his future is going to be in Spain sooner rather than later.”
The Como playmaker isn’t the only top talent to watch. Three other players to keep an eye on are Atalanta’s Honest Ahanor (+€5m to €25m), Cagliari’s Marco Palestra (+€16.5m to €25m), and AC Milan’s Davide Bartesaghi (+€15m to €18m). “The three are the positive surprises of the season,” Dietl said. “Ahanor has justified the significant transfer fee paid by Atalanta. He is a modern left-footed center-back with incredible physical attributes, high speed, and strong technique. His versatility and tactical maturity is impressive, and if there hadn’t been issues with his passport, he would have already debuted for the Italian national team.” What about. Bartesaghi? “He has stood out as a dynamic left-back, who combines physical strength with precision.”
Serie A market values: Palestra “most interesting” – Bonny and Esposito players to watch
For Dietl, however, the most interesting of the three players is Palestra. “Originally, a right-back, the Cagliari talent can be used on both flanks and also play in midfield,” Dietl said. “He combines tactical intelligence with power, tempo, and stamina. His athleticism, ability to win duels, and precise crosses make him a versatile player who has caught the eye of top clubs in Italy and Europe.” On loan from Atalanta, Palestra’s price tag, however, will be significant. “Atalanta want at least €40m for the player. That suggests that he will continue his career in the Premier League rather than another Serie A club.”
Another player who could head to the Premier League is Tiago Gabriel. The Lecce center-back saw his market value increase by €12m from €3m to €15m. “He is seen as a future Premier League center-back,” Dietl said. “The 196cm tall defender has enormous physical strength, is robust, and great in the air. Another thing that stands out is his intelligence. Lecce play with a high back line, and he handles that very well. Gabriel always knows when to step up or go backwards and is always tidy with his positional play.
At Inter Milan, in the meantime, two young center-forwards have been standing out: Pio Esposito (+€5m to €35m) and Ange-Yoan Bonny (+€12m to €35m). “Both have defied expectations and are playing regularly,” Dietl said. “Bonny has continued his good form from Pama, and Esposito returned with significant experience after going out on loan in Serie B. Both played well in the preseason, so Inter opted against signing an alternative when the Ademola Lookman deal fell through. Bonny has already directly contributed to ten goals, while Esposito, who is often compared with Christian Vieri after scoring three goals in five national team games.”
Serie A market values: Downgrades for Thuram, McTominay and David
That’s where the positive news ends at Inter Milan. Among the downgrades were Nicolò Barella (-€5m to €60m) and Marcus Thuram (-€15m to €60m). “Thuram’s development unfortunately hasn’t gone in the right direction,” Dietl said. “The Frenchman has struggled with injuries, which have also impacted his form, even though he has, without a doubt, outstanding qualities. Furthermore, the Frenchman turns 28, and that results in a considerable downgrade in market value.”
The two Inter stars aren’t the only players to have been downgraded. At Napoli, Scott McTominay, one of the best players in Serie A last season, saw his market value reduced by 10%, from €50m to €45m. “The expectations after a great season have simply been too high this season,” Dietl said. “Solid performances aren’t enough to maintain a high market value. Plus, he is 29 now, and that makes it more difficult to maintain a high market value.”
Finally, there is Canadian men’s national team forward Jonathan David. “Juventus celebrated the fact that they were able to sign one of the most valuable free agents available on the market last summer,” Dietl said. “But he has struggled to play at the level he has shown at Lille since joining Juve. Whether he can adjust remains to be seen, but his market value is now dropping like a stone.” Indeed, after scoring just three goals and one assist in 21 games across all competitions, David sees his market value drop by €10m from €45m to €35m.
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).
