306 players updated 

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Just before the end of the year, Transfermarkt has updated the market values of 306 players playing in France’s Ligue 1. High-flying Lille are among the biggest winners, with a squad value increase of €32.45m. The team based in Northern France jumps to third place in the ranking behind Monaco and Paris Saint-Germain, and in Ayyoub Bouaddi has the player with the highest market value increase (+€15m to €25m). Over in the capital, Paris Saint-Germain see several players downgraded, and the squad value reduced by €36m. 

Only 17, LOSC academy player Bouaddi increased his market value fivefold within one year. The central midfielder with Moroccan roots, who has featured twice for France U21 side signed a professional contract that will run until 2027 this June. After playing just nine games last year he managed to reach the next level in his development this year. 

“Right after Leny Yoro left for Manchester United, Lille already had the next big talent ready to go; this time, it is in midfield,” Area Manager France Ronan Caroff said. “After Bouaddi was able to give us a hint about his abilities last season, he is getting regular playing time in Ligue 1 and the Champions League this year. In the Champions League he got the start in the victory over Real Madrid and was voted the man of the match against Juventus. He is far ahead of other talents in Ligue 1 and is now among the five most valuable players born in 2007.”

Ligue 1 market values: Talents at Lille, Monaco and Olympique Lyon upgraded

Bouaddi aside, his teammates Ngal’ayel Mukau (+€6m to €10m) and Lucas Chevalier (+€5m to €30m) also helped Lille pass Olympique Marseille (-€16.8m) in the squad value ranking. It is the fourth time since the summer of 2023 that the goalkeeper has seen his market value increase, and in November, he was nominated to the national team for the first time. Also among the big winners of the update is a duo playing at Olympique Lyon. After a downgrade in the fall, Rayan Cherki saw his market value corrected back upwards by €10m to €30m. His 19-year-old teammate Malick Fofana, in the meantime, received his seventh upgrade in a row (+€10m to €25m). 

Also up by €10m, and now among the most valuable Ligue 1 players is Maghnes Akliouche. Going forward, the Monaco forward has a market value of €40m. His teammate on the other wing saw his market value increase by €12m to now €30m: 19-year-old youth product Eliesse Ben Seghir is one of the main reasons why Monaco had the best start to the season in the club’s history this year.  

PSG market values: Many downgrades for the Ligue 1 giants

The only player with a market value upgrade at Paris Saint-Germain is South Korean forward Kang-in Lee. Upgrade to €25m in the fall, the attacker saw his market value increase by another €5m. But he is the only positive story in PSG’s squad. One player with a big downgrade is Randal Kolo Muani, whose market value sank by €10m to now €30m. As a result, the 25-year-old has seen his market value more than halved since joining the Parisians for €95m from Eintracht Frankfurt in 2023. “Kolo Muani is a frustrating case,” Caroff said. “PSG’s problems, especially in Europe, are down to their struggles in the attack. Since the October update, Luis Enrique has given the forward just 59 minutes across four games. It feels like the only way out is a move away from the club.”

Another big loser of the update is PSG keeper Gianluigi Donnarumma, whose market value was reduced by €5m to now €35m—the lowest for the Italian since 2017. “In his fourth season with PSG, Donnarumma has really struggled,” Caroff said. “Just two games without conceding at the half-season mark isn’t good enough for a keeper of his standings. He was also directly responsible for conceding some of those goals. 

Other players with downgrades at PSG are Marquinhos (-€10m to €40m), Lucas Hernández (-€8m to €32m), Milan Skriniar (-€5m to €15m) and Ousmane Dembélé (-€5m to €55m). “Statistically, he plays a decent season; his downgrade is more due to his international standing,” Caroff said. “His market value has stagnated at €60m for two years. The €50m transfer to PSG came down to an exit clause, and since then, he has struggled to show the level that would warrant a significant transfer fee by a European top club.” 

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).