Championship transfer values plummet
THE transfer values of Championship players have plummeted by a combined total of around £226m during the coronavirus pandemic, according to research.
Football has been on hold for a month due to the Covid-19 outbreak, with play unlikely to resume until June at the earliest.
And research conducted by Transfermarkt suggests the transfer values of players have significantly dropped during the period of lockdown.
They estimate that the total value of Premier League stars has fallen by more than £2bn as a result of the outbreak.
In the top flight, Manchester City are set to see the biggest drop when it comes to the transfer values of their players, with Pep Guardiola’s squad now estimated to be worth £917m, £224m less than the previous sum.
Fulham are said to have the most valuable squad in the second tier with a value of £102.24m.
Cardiff City (£46.35m) and Swansea City (£45.9m) are 10th and 11th respectively, with their squad values being £58.1m and £55.35m little more than a month ago.
Barnsley’s estimated squad value of £13.37m is currently the lowest in the division.
Transfermarkt list Fulham striker Aleksandar Mitrovic as the Championship’s most valuable player, with the Serbian being worth an estimated £18m.
Cardiff winger Josh Murphy is 37th on the list with a value of £4.95m while Swansea’s loan stars Rhian Brewster and Conor Gallagher are shortly behind with an estimated current value of £4.86m.
Of the Swans’ permanently contracted players, Andre Ayew has the highest estimated value at £4.32m.
“The stock market prices collapsed,” said site founder Matthias Seidel.
“Many clubs could be threatened by insolvency and transfer plans come to a standstill because of the many uncertainties. The current global cut [in transfer fees] is a reaction to the extraordinary general situation, in light of which it can’t be ruled out that a further cut has to be made in a few weeks.”