Transfermarkt’s 2025 reality check: Foden leads value falls as Wirtz lands ninth

Another year, another cold splash of market reality. As 2025 winds down, Transfermarkt’s valuation refresh has dealt a few home truths to some of the game’s brightest names. Some have sparkled; plenty have stalled. And the numbers, frankly, are brutal.

All figures are sourced from Transfermarkt and correct as of 29/12/2025, detailing the biggest decreases in market value over the past 12 months. For the full picture, there’s context galore — injuries, contracts ticking down, and a bit of old-fashioned loss of form.

If you’re weighing up where the momentum sits going into 2026 — whether as a fan, a scout, or a punter sizing up odds on the best betting sites — here’s the rundown, with a dollop of hard-headed analysis.

20–16: Injuries bite and roles shrink

20) Gabriel Jesus (Arsenal): A near year-long ACL lay-off — 332 days out — means a £22m fall to £17m. Only back in December, and he’s got some miles to make up.

19) Ben White (Arsenal): From mainstay to rotation piece. Just 17 outings last season and only 600 minutes so far in 2025/26. Value trimmed by £22m to £26m.

18) Ollie Watkins (Aston Villa): Goals haven’t dried up, but the market’s cooled — down £22m to £26m. Sometimes output isn’t the whole valuation story.

17) Mohamed Salah (Liverpool): Benched at times under Arne Slot and not thrilled about it, but the dip is mostly Father Time. Despite a record-equalling fourth Golden Boot not long ago, the 33-year-old slides £22m to £26m.

16) Bremer (Juventus): A nasty run — ACL in 2024/25 and a meniscus issue late in 2025 — restricts him to scraps. The result is a near 42% haircut, down £22m to £31m.

15–11: Contract clocks and confidence swings

15) Dušan Vlahović (Juventus): Still only 25, but form has seesawed and his deal runs out in 2026. A £22m slide leaves him at £31m.

14) Harry Kane (Bayern Munich): Age, not output, is the culprit — 48 goals in 2025 tells its own tale. Nevertheless, down £22m to £57m.

13) Ronald Araújo (Barcelona): A sharp correction of £26m leaves him at £22m. Fitness and form questions linger at Camp Nou.

12) James Maddison (Tottenham): Spurs’ grim 17th-place finish plus a pre-season ACL that likely wipes out his campaign. Valuation halves, down £26m to £26m.

11) Darwin Núñez (Al-Hilal): Never fully clicked at Anfield — 25 league goals in 95 and plenty of big chances gone. Off to Al-Hilal and down £26m to £31m, far from the £64m fee Liverpool stumped up in 2022.

10–6: Wirtz ninth as elite talents feel the squeeze

10) Eduardo Camavinga (Real Madrid): Usually dependable, but just 19 La Liga games last term dents momentum. Off £26m to £44m.

9) Florian Wirtz (Liverpool): The British-record buy has found the Premier League a harsher judge than the Bundesliga so far. Five goal contributions in 2025/26 sees a £26m trim to £96m. The talent’s undisputed — now it’s about tempo, chemistry and consistency at Anfield.

8) Victor Boniface (Werder Bremen): Eight league goals for Leverkusen in 2024/25, then a loan to Bremen with no return in 11 games and a knee knock in December. Ouch. Down £29m to £11m.

7) Bernardo Silva (Manchester City): A sublime technician, but at 31 with a 2026 contract end in sight, the curve points south. Off £29m to £24m.

6) Martin Ødegaard (Arsenal): A patchy 2025 for form and fitness trims £31m from the Arsenal captain, who sits at £65m. You’d still back the Norwegian to claw plenty of that back.

5–1: Blue-chip names, heavy markdowns

5) Gavi (Barcelona): A horrible ACL in 2023, then another knee setback this term. Limited minutes, big consequences — down £35m to £35m.

4) Rodrygo (Real Madrid): Still a star, just not quite the supernova of 2024. Slides £35m to £52m.

3) Vinícius Júnior (Real Madrid): Elite as ever, but the market cools a touch — down £44m to £131m. That’s still A-lister territory.

2) Rodri (Manchester City): The 2024 Ballon d’Or winner can’t catch a break — ACL trouble in 2024, months out to May 2025, then a late-2025 hamstring. Off £48m to £65m.

1) Phil Foden (Manchester City): From 2023/24 Premier League POTY to a lean league season of nine goal contributions. A jaw-dropping £52m drop to £70m — but he’s already roaring back, and you’d expect a bounce when the 2026 refresh lands.

The verdict

Markets are mood swings with spreadsheets, and 2025 had plenty of both. Injuries have ravaged some, age has clipped others, and a few simply hit a lull. The smarter play is to look for the rebounders. Wirtz at nine? The tools are there. Foden and Rodri? Bank on a recovery arc. And if there’s one certainty, it’s that 2026 will rewrite a fair chunk of this list.