Liverpool Trio Named Among Most Valuable Defenders in the World By Weekly Transfer Algorithm

Three of the four most valuable defenders in world football currently play for Liverpool, according to a weekly transfer value algorithm.

The CIES football observatory algorithm takes into account variables such as age, contract, position, minutes, goals, international status and team results to generate estimates.

Most expensive defenders in the big-5 according to @CIES_Football transfer value algorithm: #Alexander-Arnold ahead of teammate #VanDijk & #Laporte; more in last Weekly Post of the season at https://t.co/ZfCrtEP88k pic.twitter.com/FUOjXpVWpO
— CIES Football Obs (@CIES_Football) June 13, 2019

The final weekly report of the season from CIES has revealed that Liverpool defenders Trent Alexander-Arnold, Virgil van Dijk and Andrew Robertson are among the four most valuable defenders in world football.

Alexander-Arnold and Van Dijk occupy the first two positions at €130.2m and €112.1m respectively and Robertson is ranked as the fourth most expensive defender at €88.3m.

The trio are separated by Manchester City's Aymeric Laporte, who is valued at €105.4m, and are ahead of John Stones, who is estimated to be worth €84.2m - though that fee ought to have decreased somewhat after his Nations League performances.

Last @CIES_Football Weekly Post for the 2018/19 season presents the 100 big-5 league players with the highest transfer values according to our exclusive algorithm: @KMbappe ahead of @MoSalah & @sterling7! Full list available for free at https://t.co/ZfCrtEP88k pic.twitter.com/6DDhYBRWa5
— CIES Football Obs (@CIES_Football) June 13, 2019

It's not just Liverpool's defenders who are valued so highly. Alisson is ranked as the most expensive goalkeeper at €107m and Mohamed Salah is regarded as the second most valuable player in any position at €219m - behind €252m rated Kylian Mbappe.

The report also indicates some significant changes since the start of the season, with one of the most notable changes being Borussia Dortmund starlet Jadon Sancho who was rated at €9m at the start of September and is now worth €159m - the fifth most valuable player in the world.

Neymar, who remains most expensive transfer of all time, is ranked as only the 17th most expensive player at €123m, which is a long way short of the €200m Paris Saint-Germain previously forked out.

Source : 90min