Barcelona wonderkid tops list of highest-valued Under-21 players in the world at €180 million

Over the past year or so, Lamine Yamal has witnessed unprecedented growth, which has catapulted him into becoming one of the best wingers in Europe.

At the age of just 17, Yamal finished eighth in the Ballon d’Or rankings this year while also helping Spain secure the European Championship in the summer.

For Barcelona, Yamal has stepped up his game under Hansi Flick, racking up six goals and eight assists in all competitions this season.

Yamal: The most expensive U21 player in the world

Aside from being a future Ballon d’Or candidate, Yamal’s rapid rise to prominence has also skyrocketed his value.

In fact, Lamine Yamal is currently the most expensive Under 21 player in the world.

This is according to CIES Football Observatory, which believes Yamal’s market value stands at around €180 million, which considerably makes him the highest-valued player in his age group.

To put things into perspective, second-placed Alejandro Garnacho of Manchester United is valued at €114 million, which is €66 million lower than Yamal’s valuation.

Real Madrid’s new signing Endrick is sixth on the list with a valuation of €97 million. He is joined by his teammate Arda Guler, valued at €76 million.

However, both players have struggled with game-time at Real Madrid this season. Yamal, in contrast, has proven to be a central part of Barcelona’s attacking setup that has scored goals for fun this season.

Interestingly, though, none of the Barcelona youngsters, apart from Yamal, make into the top 20 most expensive U21 players.

The second-highest Barcelona player on the list is Pau Cubarsi, who is standing 23rd with a valuation of just €50 million.