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Four PSG stars in top 10
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Ligue 1 has gained a strong reputation for producing excellent young talents across the last decade or so, leading to many of their youthful stars earning big-money moves abroad. Aurélien Tchouaméni, Victor Osimhen, Leny Yoro, Anthony Martial and Nicolas Pépé have all departed the French top-flight for fees in excess of €50 million across the last ten years at a young age.
Led by the conveyor belt of quality being produced by European champions Paris Saint-Germain, there is a new fleet of various youngsters emerging in the division with enormous potential. In Transfermarkt’s latest Ligue 1 market value update, many talents received market value changes, and several young players earned significant upgrades. We take a look at the current top 10 most valuable U21 stars in the French top-flight.
The most valuable U21 players in Ligue 1
1. Désiré Doué - PSG - €90m:
One of the breakout stars in PSG's treble-winning season last term, youngster Désiré Doué (signed from Rennes for €50 million in 2024 summer) saw his market value rise from €30m to €90m over the course of the campaign. He scored a brace in the Parisian's emphatic Champions League final victory against Inter Milan, and his lightning-quick feet and dribbling ability was key to PSG finally getting their hands on the trophy. A calf injury has disrupted the 20-year-old's start to this season, but he retains his market value.
2. João Neves - PSG - €90m:
Now joining his team-mate Doué at the €90m mark is PSG's Portuguese midfielder João Neves. The 21-year-old has been a revelation since signing from Benfica for €65.92m last summer and is rewarded with a +€10m upgrade in the latest Ligue 1 update. Last month he scored a sensational hat-trick from midfield in a 6-3 win against Toulouse, which included two, yes two, overhead kicks. A full Portugal international, the future is bright for Neves.
3. Warren Zaïre-Emery - PSG - €50m:
PSG's dominance of the league's young talent continues in third place, although a small -€5m downgrade takes 19-year-old Warren Zaïre-Emery's market value down to €50m. Although he has still maintained being a first-team regular this term, the midfielder has failed to build on the incredible early promise he showed when he first broke through. However, even at €50m, Zaïre-Emery remains one of the most valuable teenagers in the world.
4. Ayyoub Bouaddi - Lille - €30m:
The first non-PSG player on the list is Lille's 18-year-old midfielder Ayyoub Bouaddi. His man-of-the-match display in a Champions League win against Real Madrid last season, aged just 17 at the time, caught the eye of the watching world. And since then he has already become an integral part of his team's engine room despite only recently turning 18. He is rewarded with a small +€2m upgrade in the latest update to take his new market value to €30m.
5. Malick Fofana - Lyon - €30m:
Lyon winger Malick Fofana was linked with a whole host of Premier League clubs this summer, but he stayed put at the Ligue 1 side. The Belgian has already scored twice in Ligue 1 this season and if he can continue his career trajectory to date, then he seems destined to end up at a top club. For now, the 20-year-old maintains his €30m market value.
6. Lamine Camara - Monaco - €30m:
Another player who was linked with a big move this summer that didn't materialise is sixth-placed Monaco midfielder Lamine Camara. The 21-year-old has enjoyed a strong start to the season, registering three assists in five Ligue 1 games. He has also already made 24 caps for his nation Senegal. Camara is rewarded with a +€8m upgrade in the latest update to take his market value from €22m to €30m.
7. Senny Mayulu - PSG - €25m:
PSG return to the list now with 19-year-old Senny Mayulu coming in at seventh spot. The teenager already notched up 20 Ligue 1 appearances over the course of the last season, but his defining moment was when he came on from the bench to become the joint-youngest Champions League final goalscorer in the competition's history. Add to that, that he has started the last three matches for he Parisians this term, and scored against Barcelona, and he receives a +€10m upgrade to a new €25m market value.
8. Lucas Beraldo - PSG - €25m:
PSG come again, this time with centre-half Lucas Beraldo occupying eighth place. The Brazilian was brought over from South America as a teenager and has already developed into a reliable back up option for Luis Enrique to turn to. He retains his market value of €25m in this latest October Ligue 1 update.
9. Arthur Vermeeren - Marseille - €22m:
In ninth spot is Marseille midfielder Arthur Vermeeren. At just 20-years-old, the Belgian has already endured somewhat of a topsy-turvy career, playing in his native Belgium, Spain, Germany and now France, after joining on-loan form RB Leipzig. He is till considered a top talent nevertheless and retains his €22m market value for now.
10. Julio Enciso - Strasbourg - €22m:
One of the latets players embroiled in the Blueco monopoly of clubs is Paraguayan talent Julio Enciso. The 21-year-old swapped Brighton for Strasbourg this summer, but with a view for a potential future at sister club Chelsea should he develop and prove he can make the grade. There had once been huge hope placed on his shoulders when he first emerged in the Premier League with Brighton, and he retains his €22m value for now.
