Finding the next superstar can be difficult in today’s market and even when you discover a gem, fierce competition means the price soon rockets.
Clubs are now demanding extortionate prices for young players in a bid to fend of the biggest clubs, with clubs like Ajax looking to capitalise on a short window to succeed before their team is picked apart.
In a deal that could rise to more than £120m, Ousmane Dembele joined Barcelona in 2017 as a 20-year-old.
Borussia Dortmund will see that deal as a good value, especially considering they paid just £8m to sign Jadon Sancho from Manchester City as his replacement.
And with Manchester United and Real Madrid interested in Sancho, the Germans may make an even bigger profit when they sell the England international.
Here are the top 50 most valuable players in Europe based on estimated transfer fees, according to the CIES Football Observatory.
