The most valuable XI in world football

Right-back: Trent Alexander-Arnold (Liverpool) – €110 million

A generational talent and the best player coming through Liverpool‘s fabled academy in recent times, Alexander-Arnold’s precocious talents and on-field impact have seen him quickly develop into a vital cog in Jurgen Klopp’s all-conquering juggernaut.

He was instrumental in the Champions League success last year, before adding more trophies to his burgeoning cabinet in the last season, in the shape of the UEFA Super Cup, the Club World Cup, and more importantly, the Premier League.

Despite being a full-back, the 21-year old is the main creative force in his side, rampaging forward at will to lay off wonderful crosses and connect with the offensive frontline to add an extra edge to the already-menacing attack.

He set the record for the most assists in a single Premier League campaign with 12 last year, before eclipsing the tally by going one better in the 2019/20 season, as his efforts were rewarded with the PFA Young Player of the Year award recently.

Centre-back: Matthijs de Ligt (Juventus) – €70 million

Matthijs de Ligt was on the wish-list of almost every leading club after his heroics with Ajax during the 2018/19 season as he captained his side to a domestic double as well as the Champions League semi-finals, but Juventus eventually won the race for his signatures.

He initially struggled to assert himself and appeared out of depth, but the Dutch youngster successfully found his feet during the second half of the campaign. Home and hosed again, de Ligt proved to be a vital addition to Juve’s defense.

Technically-gifted and positionally excellent, the 21-year old added silk and steel to the Bianconeri backline with his defensive strength and leadership qualities, while his growing confidence suggests he can be a future leader at the club too.

Centre-back: Virgil van Dijk (Liverpool) – €80 million

Few defensive signings in modern history can claim to have made as much impact on a side as van Dijk on Liverpool, with the Dutchman completely transforming the defense and turning the team into one of the meanest in Europe.

In his first full season with the Merseysiders, he was the bulwark upon which the Reds built their Champions League success, before emulating his top-notch performances last season to help the team to its first-ever Premier League triumph.

Powerful in the air, measured with the ball at his feet, and armed with superb positional sense, van Dijk became the first defender since John Terry in 2005 to win the PFA Player of the Year award after his triumph last year, while he also finished second only to Lionel Messi in the Ballon d’Or.

Left-back: Andrew Robertson (Liverpool) – €64 million

Another important component of Liverpool’s stellar backline, Robertson’s meteoric rise from a third-division player in Scotland to a European and Premier League champion within a span of six years is quite remarkable.

Signed for just £8 million from Hull City in 2017, the marauding full-back has made an absolute mockery of his transfer fee, his pace, energy, commitment, and crossing ability bringing an extra layer to the attack and perfectly complimenting Alexander-Arnold on the opposite flank.

Last season, he became just the second defender after his teammate to rack up 10+ assists in two consecutive seasons, and, like Alexander-Arnold, also got featured in PFA’s Team of the Year each time.