10 FOOTBALL CLUBS WITH MOST VALUABLE UNDER-21 PLAYERS [RANKED]

Investing in youth is all the rage nowadays. Most clubs' hierarchies – including those at board level – operate with the belief that setting up for the future is the best plan of action, with the overall age of squads getting younger and younger as the years go on.

Europe’s top clubs, from the Premier League to the Bundesliga, have scouts stationed in all corners of the globe, all on the lookout for the shiniest new star, and there is often a tug of war between a myriad of said teams for a rising starlet’s signature.

Some clubs have already spent years, and plenty of cash, assembling their sides with younger – albeit less experienced – players in recent years. But who has done so in the most effective manner?

Transfermarkt have crunched the numbers to decipher which club in the world boasts the most valuable players – in terms of their combined transfer market value – under the age of 21, and you can find out the results below.

Barcelona

Total market value: 372.9m (444m)

Barcelona’s fabled La Masia is probably the most famous academy in the world, having previously produced the likes of Xavi, Andres Iniesta and Lionel Messi. The latest star to emerge from Barcelona's youth set-up is Lamine Yamal, one of the standout stars of Euro 2024, who is currently worth £100.85 million (€120m).

Midfield duo Pedri and Gavi are both 21 years of age and have made waves since breaking into the Blaugrana’s first team, with the pair valued at £75.68 million (€90m) and £67.27 million (€80m) respectively. Pau Cubarsi, Alejandro Balde, Fermin Lopez and the like are all a) under 21 and b) at Hansi Flick’s disposal for the foreseeable future.

Real Madrid

Total market value: 268.76m (320m)

Considering they are one of the best teams in world football, particularly on the back of yet another Champions League triumph, there are very few signs to suggest that Real Madrid will be slowing down any time soon – and their future, both immediate and long term, looks promising. The only reason they don’t top this list is thanks to having only a handful of players under the age of 21.

Contingency planning from the Los Blancos chiefs has ensured that they have Nico Paz (19), Arda Guler (19) and glittering duo Eduardo Camavinga and Jude Bellingham, both 21 years of age, to work with in years to come. The latter is the club’s joint highest-valued player at £151.36 million (€180m).

Paris Saint-Germain

Total market value: 220.05m (262m)

Losing Kylian Mbappe and subsequently replacing him is no easy feat. Whether Paris Saint-Germain can rely on their collection of young talent remains to be seen, though Xavi Simons, 21 – who has returned from his loan stint at RB Leipzig – is the Paris-based outfit’s highest-valued player at £67.27 million (€80m).

Alongside the Dutchman, who is linked with Manchester United, Luis Enrique has both Warren Zaire-Emery and Bradley Barcola, permitting that they stay put, in his squad, with the duo likely to form the spine of his team in the future. The former is valued at £50.54 million (€60m), while the latter’s value stands at £42.05 million €50m).

Chelsea

Total market value: 203.25m (242m)

An influx of youngsters has reduced Chelsea’s average age in recent years – and according to The Athletic, identifying and targeting youngsters rather than those in their prime is their strategy moving forward. At the time of writing, the Blues have 16 players under the age of 21 on their books, including Romeo Lavia (20), Marc Guiu (18) and Carney Chukwuemeka, 20.

Plenty of stars in that age bracket have made an immediate impact on first team proceedings, too. Levi Colwill – valued at £42.05 million (€50m) – and Malo Gusto – £29.43 million (€35m) – both impressed in 2023/24. With Enzo Maresca now at the helm, a new era at Stamford Bridge beckons, and young talent is certainly poised to be at the forefront.

Bayern Munich

Total market value: 172.17m (205m)

Thanks to them having a load of long-serving players, much of Bayern Munich’s squad is packed with older players, with Manuel Neuer, Thomas Müller and Harry Kane all 30 years old or above. Eric Dier, Joshua Kimmich and Serge Gnabry, too, form the older contingent, but there are plenty of phenoms to get excited about in Bavaria.

The likes of Jamal Musiala, 21, included in UEFA’s Euro 2024 team of the tournament, and Aleksandar Pavlovic, 20, are both young, yet extremely bright, sparks that Vincent Kompany will have the pleasure of working with in 2024/25. Kane’s understudy, Mathys Tel, is also among those in the younger age bracket – and he’s valued at £33.64 million (€40m).

Brighton & Hove Albion

Total market value: 169.65m (202m)

Brighton & Hove Albion’s recruitment team have become revered among Premier League circles thanks to their ability to pick out the best talent, develop them and then make an absurd amount of profit down the line – Moises Caicedo, who was sold to Chelsea for £100 million in the summer of 2023, is the prime example.

Fabian Hurzeler has joined the Seagulls in a similar position with the likes of Evan Ferguson, 19, Julio Enciso (20) and Jack Hinshelwood (19) all at the German tactician’s disposal. Ferguson, in particular, has piqued the interest of some of the Premier League’s biggest clubs in recent times and has been earmarked as a £100 million plus centre forward.

Manchester United

Total market value: 162.1m (193m)

Kobbie Mainoo’s stratospheric rise from Carrington to the Euro 2024 final proved Manchester United’s ability to produce world-beating talent. The midfielder’s stock has grown exponentially over the past season, though he’s not alone, with Alejandro Garnacho – £37.84 million (€45m) – and Rasmus Hojlund – £54.66 million (€65m) – also stealing the headlines at Old Trafford.

With the addition of Leny Yoro, too, minority stakeholder Sir Jim Ratcliffe and his entourage are showing their willingness to invest in youth, rather than fork out hefty amounts on weekly wages. Daniel Gore, 19, is also included. Overall, their collection of players under 21 years of age total £162.1 million (€193m).

Bayer Leverkusen

Total market value: 135.22m (161m)

Keeping hold of their exceptional litany of youngsters will be tough on the back of their Bundesliga-winning campaign in 2023/24, but miracle worker Xabi Alonso’s commitment to the cause could convince them to stay. Interestingly, however, not many of his first team players are under the age of 21 – with Piero Hincapie, 22, and Jeremie Frimpong, 23, both above the cut-off point.

Their leading starlet Florian Wirtz, however, boasts a gargantuan value of £109.32 million (€130m) and makes up the best part of the Bundesliga side’s overall Under-21 value of £135.22m (€161m). The fleet-footed technician was, pre-tournament, widely considered to be one of the best players at Euro 2024 and looks destined to make a career-defining move soon.

Tottenham Hotspur

Total market value: 108.34m (129m)

Ange Postecoglou’s proven knack of developing young players into his side’s leading talismen could pay dividends in north London in years to come. The bulk of his Tottenham Hotspur squad – James Maddison, Pedro Porro and Rodrigo Bentancur – are all currently in their mid-20s, but there is still plenty of excitement surrounding their youngsters.

Academy graduate Mikey Moore is making waves, while their duo of summer incomings Archie Gray and Lucas Bergvall – both at the tender age of 18 – are expected to be mainstays in the squad in the near future. Interestingly, Postecoglou’s side have a more valuable selection of Under-21 stars than Liverpool, Manchester City and local rivals, Arsenal.

RB Leipzig

Total market value: 99.10m (118m)

RB Leipzig, similarly to Brighton, are known for their ability to pick up lesser known stars and offload them a couple of seasons later for an unworldly fee. Dominik Szoboszlai, Christopher Nkunku and Josko Gvardiol, who are all now earning their corn in the Premier League, spring to mind.

Previously linked to both Arsenal and Chelsea, striker Benjamin Sesko – valued at £42.05 million (€50m) – could be the latest name to make his employers a hefty profit, while Lyon-born Castello Lukeba, 21, is also among the club’s highest-valued players at £33.64 million (€40m). If Marco Rose’s outfit had more than six players in the aforementioned age bracket, there is every chance they could propel up the list.

11-20

Liverpool and Manchester City both included

Liverpool just miss out on a top 10 spot with a collection of seven youngsters – spearheaded by Jarell Quansah and Harvey Elliott – valued at £91.6m (€109m), while Bundesliga duo Borussia Dortmund and Eintracht Frankfurt follow closely behind in 11th and 12th respectively. Arthur Vermeeren is the standout name from Atletico Madrid’s bunch of youngsters, with them sitting in 15th spot -– one spot behind France’s Lille.

Perennial Premier League champions Manchester City are next up with Oscar Bobb, 21, and Rico Lewis, 19, their most notable Under-21 names. Juventus and Chelsea’s sister club, Strasbourg, are positioned in 17th and 18th, respectively. Valencia and Newcastle United, who boast the likes of Lewis Miley, Lewis Hall and Tino Livramento, conclude the top 20.

All statistics per Transfermarkt - correct as of 25/07/2024

2024-07-27T02:58:25Z dg43tfdfdgfd