Barcelona or Real Madrid: which roster is worth more in the transfer market?

Despite their slide over the past two seasons, which threatens to end without silverware, Real Madrid’s squad – such a winning machine until 2024 – still has $184m more in market value than Barcelona’s, according to the specialist website Transfermarkt.

The Madrid squad is valued at $1.45bn, while Barcelona’s still stands at $1.26bn. Even so, Barça’s players have been soaring lately. Lamine Yamal, currently injured, is valued at $216m. Pedri is worth $162m; and even players who were virtually unknown a couple of years ago, such as Fermín López, are valued at $108m.

Behind them is a group of players who could drive that figure even higher. Joan García is valued at $43m and Pau Cubarsí, still only 19, has a market value of $86m. Heavyweights such as Raphinha ($86m), Jules Koundé ($70m), Dani Olmo ($65m) and Frenkie de Jong ($49m) are already at their peak or have begun to decline. Others, such as Gavi ($32m), are on the verge of taking off again.

Until Transfermarkt’s next update, however, Madrid are holding their ground thanks to their two biggest stars, Kylian Mbappé and Vinicius Jr, valued at $216m and $162m respectively, but also with players sitting very high in the rankings: Jude Bellingham is worth $151m, the now-questioned Fede Valverde $130m, and Arda Güler $97m.

Aurélien Tchouaméni is valued at $81m and Trent Alexander-Arnold at $70m. Paradoxically, the next update could heavily punish this season’s signings, who arrived very young and with spectacular potential. Dean Huijsen ($70m), Álvaro Carreras ($65m) and Franco Mastantuono ($49m) have fallen short of the expectations they generated.

Even so, Madrid remain $184m ahead of Barcelona while awaiting new updates linked to the World Cup. Only four players – Wojciech Szczesny, Andreas Christensen, João Cancelo and Robert Lewandowski – are over 30 at Barça. Madrid do not have many either: just five – Thibaut Courtois, Antonio Rüdiger, David Alaba, Dani Carvajal and Ferland Mendy. Young squads that should keep improving...

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