Market values Saudi Arabia: Ronaldo drops - Benzema soon the most valuable

With the end of the Saudi Pro League, Transfermarkt has updated the market values of the 16 teams playing in the division. While Talisca from Al-Nassr FC has secured first place in the market value ranking, sharing first place with a player who will surely once again steal all the headlines: Cristiano Ronaldo. 

While the 29-year-old Talisca was once again a key player by scoring 20 goals in 23 games and, as a result, sees his market value increase to €15m, Cristiano Ronaldo saw his market value drop by €5m to now €15m. Ronaldo, who signed for a record salary last January, sees his market value drop by €5m because of his age but also because he is now playing in a less demanding league far removed from the European spotlight. But despite the downgrade, the 38-year-old remains one of the five most valuable over 34-year-old players on the planet.

Furthermore, there is no doubt that Ronaldo had an impact on the Saudi Pro League. The Portuguese superstar has scored 14 goals and two assists in 16 games for Al-Nassr FC this season, helping his side to a second-place finish behind champions Al-Ittihad Club. 

Saudi Pro League market values: Benzema soon ahead of Cristiano Ronaldo 

The very same Al-Ittihad, who have signed French star striker Karim Benzema. With a current market value of €35m, Benzema, in fact, will be the most valuable player in the Saudi Pro League when he officially joins Al-Ittihad this summer. 

In many ways, it was Ronaldo that opened the door for top stars like Benzema to head to the Middle East to play for a project that is by large part funded by the Saudi-owned Public Investment Fund. More stars, without a doubt, will follow, and while there is legitimate concern about sports washing, it will also be interesting to see how the arrival of top stars will impact the market values of Saudi’s top division.

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).