We take a look at the current market value of each of Portugal’s players in the Nations League squad - and how it compares to that of the Netherlands.
To assess how much each player is currently worth, we used the data and valuations as stated on the website Transfermarkt, which you can visit via the provided link.
Using these values, we delve into the current values of each of the Portuguese players, looking at who is currently worth the most, and who is worth the least:
- Beto (£675k)
No surprises that Portugal’s third choice goalkeeper is Portugal’s lowest valued player in the entire squad. The 37-year old is currently on the books of Turkish outfit Goztepe and, although he is a very solid goalkeeper, with few years ahead of him in terms of his playing career, Beto’s value doesn’t even reach 1 million.
- Pepe (£900k)
Perhaps unsurprisingly considering his age, 36-year old Pepe is the second lowest valued player currently representing Portugal. More surprisingly though, he’s not even valued at £1million; with potentially 3 or 4 years still capable of paying at the top level, Pepe would still prove a shrewd acquisition for many a side, even if age isn’t on his side.
- Jose Fone (£1.8m)
Coming in at position 21 is Portugal’s third-choice centreback Jose Fonte. After a tremendous season with Lille, where he captained the side to the Champions League group stage, he finds himself currently valued at £1.8million according to Transfermarkt. That’s double the price compared to Pepe - surprising, potentially, considering there’s just one year difference between them.
- Jose Sa (£2.25m)
Twentieth on the list is Portugal’s second choice goalkeeper and current Olympiakos shot-stopper Sa. At 26 years of age, Sa is just approaching his peak performance level. Good value for money at that market value for many a side.
- Joao Moutinho (£9m)
Last summer, Moutinho moved to Wolverhampton Wanderers for a fee of just £5million. Anyone who has had the privilege of watching the midfield magician throughout his career would have known that such a fee was astoundingly low and an incredible bargain for the newly-promoted club. And now, a year on and a year older, 32-year old Moutinho is still seen as being worth at least £9million - well up on the fee Wolves initially paid for him. Still seems low, and you would expect Wolves to reject any bids that came in for Moutinho at that valuation, but it’s an indication of how significant Wolves’ bargain was last summer.
- Mario Rui (£10.8m)
Portugal’s backup left back, currently on the books of Napoli, is currently valued at £10.8million, according to Transfermarkt. Sounds about right.
- Dyego Sousa (£10.8)
Coming off a brilliant season with Braga, Sousa, the joint fourth top scorer in the Primeira Liga with 15 goals in addition to 5 assists, the Brazilian-born Portugal international is valued at the same price as Mario Rui. At 29 years of age, it seems a fair valuation for the physical striker who still has 4 years left at peak performance level. He’s worth more than that to Braga though.
- Rui Patricio (£16.2m)
Next up on the list, and a distance away from 18th placed Mario Rui and Dyego Sousa, is Wolves shot-stopper Patricio. Aged 31, Patricio still has as many as 8 years at the top level left in him, and, if anything, that price seems almost too low for Portugal’s undisputed number one. Nevertheless, it’s a respectable price for a player on the wrong side of 30, with goalkeeper’s generally worth substantially less than outfield players.
- Diogo Jota (£16.2m)
The first major shock on this list, with Diogo Jota considered to be worth only as much as Rui Patricio. The 22-year old forward has been brilliant for Wolves since joining Nuno’s championship adventure - particularly in the last 6 months. However, Transfermarkt suggest the youngster is only worth as little as £16.2million - you’d expect Wolves to be holding out for at least 4 times more than that though, if they were to consider selling him.
- Pizzi (£22.5m)
29-year old versatile midfielder Pizzi, who has been sublime for Benfica recently, pops up at a value of well over £20million, a fair price and good justification for his excellent form for Benfica. Even if he is pushing 30, in today’s market, £22.5million seems very justifiable. It does, however, raise more question marks about how Jota, an equally in-form forward who is 7 years his junior, can be worth significantly less.
- William Carvalho (£22.5m)
Also valued at £22.5million is Portugal’s composed midfielder William Carvalho. All his displays for Portugal point to the fact that this is really the minimum that he should be worth; shown his effectiveness at both ends of the pitch, able to operate as both a top quality defensive midfielder as well as a free roaming midfielder, the 27-year old is an incredibly useful player for any outfit.
- Raphael Guerreiro (£22.5m)
And a third Portuguese player valued at a similar level is Raphael Guerreiro. 3 years ago, it looked as though Guerreiro would go on to be one of the top leftback’s in world football - and that could certainly still prove the case. However, after injury troubles have held him back and his defensive game appears to be lacking, it’s fair to see his value at the same level as his older compatriots.
- Rafa Silva (£25.2m)
After the season he’s had, it’s great to see his value go up according to Transfermarkt. A superb campaign with Benfica, and the 26-year old, who is just approaching his peak, deserves to be pushing the top 10 in terms of valuation. Benfica wouldn’t accept a value this low, however, with his ability clearly on show.
- Danilo Pereira (£27m)
Interesting to see Danilo valued more highly than fellow central midfielder William Carvalho. Both 27, both capable of operating in that defensive role or further forwards in a more box-to-box position, it is William that is far more frequently picked to start for Portugal ahead of Danilo. But, Danilo’s a top quality player, and £27million is the minimum that Porto would be looking to receive for their holding midfielder.
- Goncalo Guedes (£27m)
Also coming in at 10th position is Guedes. The fact that he is only 22-years old almost certainly plays a factor in him being high up in the pitch - although the value still seems surprisingly low. Having moved to PSG from Benfica for £30million three seasons ago before joining Valencia for £35million last summer, Guedes has continued to impress, yet he is valued well below the fees paid. Nevertheless, the value of a player and the price that they would cost to purchase can be two very different things, so you can understand his reduced genuine valuation according to Transfermarkt.
- Ruben Dias (£28.8m)
Benfica centreback Dias is next on the list, again his youthful age off 22 also likely to contribute to his valuation. That said though, the valuation again seems relatively low, with Benfica looking for nothing short of the release clause for Ruben Dias - £60million - to let him go. Again though, a true value and an asking price can be two very different things.
- Ruben Neves (£36m)
Neves is 7th up on the list, the Wolves holding midfielder another huge prospect in the game, again only 22-years old. His passing, his positioning, his composure and maturity all make him a highly desirable central midfielder to have in your team, and Wolves showed further shrewd transfer activity by signing him for just £15million from Porto in 2017 while competing in the Championship. Now, Wolves would be hoping for about 4 times that price, although Transfermarkt suggest he’s only truly worth £36million.
- Nelson Semedo (£36m)
Pacey Barcelona right-back Nelson Semedo is considered to be valued at the same level as Ruben Neves - and this seems like an incredibly accurate price. Barcelona, willing to sell him this window, are likely to be accepting a fee in the region sepcified by transfermarkt, with Atletico Madrid the most likely to sign the 25-year old.
- Joao Cancelo (£49.5m)
Fellow right back Cancelo is also highly valued according to Transfermarkt - and actually significantly higher than the Barcelona right back. Both are 25 years of age, both are playing for world-class clubs, but Cancelo is considered to be worth 13 million pounds more. And, according to reports, rightly so, with Manchester City potentially seeking to sign the right back, for a fee in the region of 50 million pounds.
- Bruno Fernandes (£49.5m)
Given the same valuation as Cancelo, Portugal’s best performer of the 2018-19 season is seen to also be worth close to £50million - significantly lower than the fee believed to take him away from Sporting, with Manchester United understood to be willing to pay up to £65million for the attacking midfielder.
- Joao Felix (£63m)
19-year old Joao Felix didn’t have the best of games against Switzerland on his senior debut for Portugal, although after the season he has had and the genuine quality he has shown, he has nothing to prove, and that’s reflected in the valuation given. A very fair fee; Benfica are looking for £100million for Felix, although ultimately that’s likely well above his ‘true’ valuation, with young players like Felix always a bit of a risky purchase, regardless of how much true quality they’ve been demonstrating. If he fulfils his potential though, he’ll be worth much more than that to any suitors.
- Bernardo Silva (£72m)
Unsurprisingly, Bernardo Silva makes it into the top two - although he doesn’t make it to top spot. Instead the 24-year old is 2nd, valued at £72million. The 24-year old winger has been stunning for English champions Manchester City since joining the club, and was arguably their player of the season last campaign as they retained the league title. Fully deserves the high valuation given.
- Cristiano Ronaldo (£81m)
And it’s that man Cristiano Ronaldo that comes in at number one. Despite now being 34 years of age, Transfermarkt suggest that Ronaldo is worth as much as £81million - and looking at the ridiculous impact he had on the game against Switzerland, it’s incredibly hard to argue with. A man for the big occasions, Ronaldo is the ultimate game-changer, even at 34. And considering his fitness levels, there’s no reason why he can’t keep going for another 5 or 6 years after this, making his £81million fee, even at this late stage in his career, truly justifiable.
But how does Portugal compare to The Netherlands? Overall, Portugal are suggested to have a 23-man squad that is worth a total of £631.13 million, giving each player an average value of £27.44million. The Dutch squad, by comparison, is valued at a total of just £557.55million, giving each Dutch player an average valuation of £24.24million, marginally lower than Portugal.
The Nertherlands’ highest valued player is, perhaps unsurprisingly, Liverpool’s Virgil Van Dijk, the Liverpool centreback valued at £67.5million, while Barcelona bound Frenkie de Jong is also given a £67.5million valuation.
Both of those players are ultimately valued well below Portugal’s top two players, with Cristiano Ronaldo and Bernardo Silva both worth a combined £143million, according to Transfermarkt.
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