5 most valuable teenagers in world football

Teenagers are making big headlines in European football as major clubs are giving more and more young talent early debuts. Even kids who have not yet reached 18 are playing starring roles on European pitches.

Teenage footballers are gaining a lot of prominence, especially if able to prove themselves at the top level. We’ve seen clubs like FC Barcelona giving focus to their young talent and reaping the rewards by unearthing some world-class talents.

Like senior footballers, teenage superstars nowadays are seeing their value grow exponentially. Some are starting to get paid millions even before they turn 18, thanks to their amazing work. So let’s look at the 5 most valuable teenagers in world football today.

Pedri (Barcelona)

Pedri has had an amazing rise at Barcelona over the last two years. From being an unknown upstart to inheriting Spain’s No.10 shirt, he’s lived the dream of any footballer. The truly amazing thing is he’s still only 19!

The callow midfielder has made 71 appearances for Barça, scoring 8 goals and assisting 7 times. Pedri also won the Golden Boy award and is widely recognized as the best young midfielder in the world.

Thanks to his recent heroics, Pedri is valued at a whopping €80m (as per Transfermarkt) – making him the most valuable teenager in football right now. Knowing the upwards trajectory he is in, don’t be surprised if that value gets doubled in the next few years.

Jude Bellingham (Borussia Dortmund)

Jude Bellingham has done such great work at the age of 18 that his former club, Birmingham City, have retired his former jersey number as a tribute.

Bellingham’s current side, Borussia Dortmund, are reaping the benefits of having one of the best youngsters in the world. Bellingham has everything in his arsenal, raw power, physique, technical brilliance and the ability to produce special things on a regular basis.

In his first 84 appearances for Dortmund, he registered10 goals and 17 assists despite operating as a centre-midfielder. Bellingham’s rise has seen his value skyrocket to €75m!

He’s so good that Real Madrid sees him as a replacement for Ballon d’Or winner Luka Modric (as per BILD). Whoever wants to sign him should be ready to splash out the big bucks, because Bellingham’s the real deal.

Florian Wirtz (Bayer Leverkusen)

German football has this tendency of producing a batch of “wonderkids” every few years or so. The gem of the current generation seems to be Bayer Leverkusen’s exciting youngster Florian Wirtz.

The teenage midfielder has proven himself an absolute firecracker in the Bundesliga of late, blowing away players much older than him with ease. So far this season, he has 10 goals and 14 assists in 31 appearances.

Though currently on injury furlough, Wirtz’s incredible creativity is undeniable, and his ability to score goals and move around like a bee in the attacking areas makes him Germany’s next big star. He’s valued at a whopping €70m, but that won’t prevent a transfer war very soon.

Gavi (Barcelona)

Barcelona might’ve experienced a dip in fortunes in recent years, losing Lionel Messi, struggling to keep up with Real Madrid and experiencing financial ruin, but at least the La Masia academy is still going strong.

One of the best academy products this century is Pablo “Gavi” Gaviria. Gavi has emerged as an heir apparent to Andres Iniesta or Xavi Hernandez himself!

The 17-year-old has made 36 appearances for Barça this season, scoring twice and providing 5 assists. He’s been able to outperform world-class midfielders, run the show in crunch time and prove himself as an absolute gem of a midfielder.

Thanks to his rise, Gavi’s value has sky-rocketed to €60m too! Not that Barcelona will let him leave (or that he wants to go) but the Spaniard’s value is destined to go up knowing the bright future that lies in front of him.

Ansu Fati (Barcelona)

Ansu Fati’s talent is unquestioned. The 19-year-old inherited Lionel Messi’s iconic No.10 jersey for a reason at Barcelona. It’s because everyone believed he would be the one to usher the club into a new era of success. Unfortunately, Fati is looking injury-prone. He’s been unlucky enough to suffer a series of bad injuries that are hampering his progress.

He must be careful with his rehab and training in order to rid himself of the injury-prone tag. Fati’s work at Barcelona has been great, as he’s scored 18 goals in just 53 appearances. Despite his injuries, the 19-year-old is still valued at €60m, making him among the most valuable teenagers.

An electric winger, Fati is very exciting to watch because of his pace, dribbling ability and clinical nature in the final third. As long as he can recover his fitness, Fati has the resources to be a future Ballon d’Or winner and win big things for Barça.