Serie A market values: Osimhen breaks Italian football record - Leão hits new heights

©Imago/Content stadium

Transfermarkt’s most recent Serie A market value update sees a new record market value and a significant squad value increase for both Champions League finalists Inter Milan and league winners Napoli. With a squad value growth of €11.5 million, Napoli, for the first time since COVID, have managed to break through the €640m squad value barrier. Behind Udinese (+€22.5m), Inter Milan were the team with the second largest squad value increase (+€22m). In the overall squad value ranking, Inter are now just ahead of their city rivals AC Milan (-€5m to €542m). 

Napoli, who started the season with a squad value of €434.7m—more than €200m less than today—once again received a significant upgrade. The main reason is Victor Osimhen. The Serie A Golden Boot winner saw his market value increase by another €20m to €120m. The 24-year-old Nigerian is now the most valuable player in the Italian top flight’s history since Transfermarkt has introduced market values in 2004, breaking a record set by Paulo Dybala. The 29-year-old Roma forward had a market value of €110m in 2018 when he was still playing for Juventus. Keeping in mind that there are still market value updates in England and Germany, Osimhen, for now, is in the top 5 among the most valuable players on the planet.

“The recent increase, which is the third this season, as well as the record, are the result of an excellent season by the best striker in Serie A,” Transfermarkt Area Manager Italy Jatin Dietl said. “But it is also a reflection of the current transfer market because at the moment, we are seeing that Erling Haaland’s impact has created a strong market for top strikers, especially those with attributes that Osimhen is showing regularly: a strong will and mentality, the ability to be dynamic, physical and assertive as well as showing technical attributes at top speed. Those kinds of players will command significant transfer fees this summer. We are not just seeing that with Osimhen, who president De Laurentiis, despite interest from England, France, or recently from the Bundesliga, doesn’t want to sell.” 

Another reflection of the strong market for strikers are the upgraded Rasmus Højlund from Atalanta (+€10m to €45m), Boulaye Dia from US Salernitana (+€11m to €25m), and Beto from Udinese, whose market value was increased from €12m to €25m. One exception is Dusan Vlahovic. The Serbian striker might be the prototype of the qualities mentioned above but played a poor season with Juventus and, as a result, was downgraded by €5m to €70m. Vlahovic is in demand, but it is also unlikely that Juventus will receive the €81.6m they paid to Fiorentina in January 2022. Interest in Vlahovic, however, means that he remains at a very high level. 

Stats

D. Vlahović Centre-Forward

Juventus FC

Season 22/23–
Serie A

Games

27

Goals

10

Assists

2

Leão receives career high – Maignan & Onana among most valuable keepers

Among the big Serie A stars, there were several significant market value increases. Milan star Rafael Leão saw his market value increase by €10m to €90m, which is a new personal record, and sees him surpass Khvicha Kvaratskhelia. Inter stars Lautaro Martínez, Nicolò Barella, and Alessandro Bastoni, and Napoli defender Min-jae Kim are also among the big winners. The three Inter stars saw their market values improve by €5m to €85m, €75m and €60m respectively. Kim went up by €10m to now €60m. After a slow start to the season, Bastoni played a strong Champions League campaign, which was enough to see him return to his personal record market value. Barella once again increased, and Martínez is now level with Kvaratskhelia to share third place in Italy’s Serie A. 

“Kvaratskhelia was the big star this season and, on top of winning the Scudetto, also received several personal awards such as the Serie A MVP title and in terms of market value also had a significant increase,” Dietl said. “But during the final third of the season and even before the Champions League exit, his play seemed to lose a bit of steam. Plus, his long-term contract means that there isn’t the same buzz surrounding his name as is the case for Osimhen or Martínez. As a result, his market value will not be increased, even if, because of age and abilities, the potential for future increases is there. Now he will enter the difficult second year, and have to show that he can live with the pressure of being a star player. Leão showed that he can handle the pressure during the final stretch of the season—even after his deal, which includes a €175m exit clause, was extended—and we, therefore, decided to increase his market value.” 

Market Value

K. Kvaratskhelia Left Winger

€80.00m

There is also significant movement among the most valuable Serie A goalkeepers. Milan’s Mike Maignan remains at the top and, with an increase of €10m to €45m, is now among the world elite. Inter goalkeeper André Onana also received a significant upgrade by €15m to €35m, which sees him go even with top ten goalkeepers Gregor Kobel and the older Jan Oblak (30) and Marc-Andre ter Stegen (31).

Stats

A. Onana Goalkeeper

Inter Milan

Season 22/23–
Serie A

Games

24

Goals against

24

Clean sheets

8

“After overcoming an injury, Maignan has cemented his status as France’s no.1 and one of the best keepers in the world,” Dietl said. “He and Onana have shown their abilities in the Champions League and are not just classical goalkeepers but are also strong with their feet. Recent stories about offers from Premier League clubs for both players underline this. Should Chelsea enter the goalkeeper market, potential transfer fees should increase significantly.” 

Market Value

M. Maignan Goalkeeper

€40.00m

Serie A: Big drops for Milinkovic-Savic, Skriniar und Chiesa

While there have been several upgrades, there were also some downgrades. Lazio midfielder Sergei Milinkovic-Savic and soon-to-depart Inter defender Milan Skriniar were both downgraded by €10m to €50. The downgrade can be partly explained by the fact that both players are getting older but also, in the case of Milinkovic-Savic, there has been minimal movement in the market for the midfielder, even though his contract expires in 2024.

Stats

S. Milinković-Savić Central Midfield

SS Lazio

Season 22/23–
Serie A

Games

36

Goals

9

Assists

8

It is possible that Lazio boss Claudio Lotito will reject any offer for Milinkovic-Savic after his club managed to qualify for the Champions League, even if that means that the midfielder could leave on a free transfer. Skriniar, in the meantime, will leave on a free transfer this summer and join PSG. The center-back missed almost the entire second half of the season with an injury, and Inter had no problems compensating for his absence. 

Market Value

M. Skriniar Centre-Back

€40.00m

Once again downgraded was Juventus forward Federico Chiesa. The 25-year-old had a season to forget and dropped by another €10m to now €40m. One year ago, Chiesa still had a market value of €65m, but never managed to reach his top form in 2022/23 because of injuries. First, he was stopped by an ACL injury and then struggled with several smaller injuries. Another issue is that he does not seem to be an excellent fit for the system played by Juve head coach Max Allegri and, therefore, could even be a candidate to be sold this summer. 

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).