Home > Football > Who's worth £50m - Liverpool's Torres and Gerrard, Arsenal's Cesc and Man United's Ronaldo?
Who's worth £50m - Liverpool's Torres and Gerrard, Arsenal's Cesc and Man United's Ronaldo?
But will Spanish giants Barcelona and Real Madrid ever get their hands on the Premier League's finest players?
by Mark Apostolou on 09 March 2008
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Last summer when Rafa Benitez decided to spend over £20.6m on Atletico Madrid striker Fernando Torres, many thought he had been ripped off. Some even questioned the Spaniard's judgement – nine months on, Torres is looking like a bargain. This has led me to consider just which player is worth the most in today’s money-mad footballing world.
Cristiano Ronaldo could lay claim to being worth the most money right now, an attacking midfielder by rights should be pleased if he gets to a dozen goals a season. Well, the Portuguese star has 30 already this season, which is quite incredible. Four and half years ago Sir Alex Ferguson forked out £12m plus for the 18-year-old. Now, if Real Madrid or Barcelona want to steal Ronaldo, then £50m is just the starting price – not that United would dream of selling him anyway, but this just shows just how much he is currently worth.
Table-toppers Arsenal have, of course, got their own crown jewel in Cesc Fabregas, a midfielder with class and ability beyond his tender years. The 20-year-old Spaniard has already made 150 starts for Arsene Wenger’s side. His brilliance is all the more remarkable as he cost the Gunners nothing. Fabregas is another one who is being watched enviously by the two great giants of the Spanish game – again, the fee would have to be in the region of £50m. But, like United, Arsenal, aren't selling.
We touched on Torres earlier and, given the £20.6m already forked out for the striker and taking into account his current form – 25 goals in 29 starts in a Liverpool shirt – he, too, would cost nothing less than £50m. He is still only 23 but he has 100-plus top -evel league goals to his name and is getting better week after week.
Comments (32)
by Charlie on March 09, 2008
Well as an Arsenal fan i would of course say that Fabregas is worth 50m, in fact in today's market all of these four are, is anyone else in the league worth that much? Maybe Anderson?
by Ian Spencer on March 09, 2008
Stevie Gerrard is the best as he is also a leader and an all rounder with the ability to cover the most ground in order to score. Importantly, he is not bought in but a local lad.
on March 09, 2008 on March 09, 2008
It's fair to say that if Europe big guns could guarentee to get any of them for £50 million then they would bid on all of them. Can't really see the clubs selling though unless the player wants it.
by Jim adams on March 09, 2008
As a liverpool fan we are luky to have two nominees. However, for the sheer determination to win and the ability to attack and stamina to defend ALL OVER the field Stevie G edges the others and is the only captain of club and country.
by Josh Black on March 09, 2008
Im an Arsenal fan and i agree with all those players being worth 50 milion each, all r world class, imagine them all in the same team! Im guna get some stick for this being a gooner but ronaldo is currently the best player in the world by quite a margin if im guna b honest, 30 goals 2 his name alredy, most pleasing on the eye, total superstar. I can think of oneother player in the 50 million bracket, and thats messi
by Rob Moir on March 09, 2008
None of them are worth that sort of money. Especially with the sort of freedom of contract a player enjoys these days, that would be well over the odds to pay for a player.
by Finsbury Parker on March 09, 2008
Importantly, he is not bought in but a local lad.
by tazza johal on March 09, 2008
As good a player Gerrard is, he's not worth £50m. One of his main attributes is his commitment, but can he do it for any other club other than Liverpool? When on the interenational stage, he falters slightly, but at club level, he's good, becaue all the foreign players around him make him look good, like mascherano
by matt amith on March 09, 2008
depends what youre looking for...
Of that list Stevie G. He is the total footballer, active all over the pitch. To be fair Ronaldo is committed in defence, but you wouldn't choose him to make a last ditch tackle to save a game, you would Gerrard. Fabregas i think will one day be the greatest player alive if he keeps fit, but he has a ways to go. Opposing managers can, and have 'managed' fabregas out of a game, same with ronaldo and torres; but with Gerrard there is no managing him.
by Daniel McCarty on March 09, 2008
Ronaldo is the man that worth more than 50m. Real wented him for 50m. Ronaldo is a great and skillful player. Right now he has 30 goals to his name this season. Ronaldo worth more than $50m
by Saracen on March 09, 2008
ARE YOU MAD PEOPLE............ In this generation no football player is worth 30 million never mind 50 million. Where is the equivalent of Zico, P Maldini, Roberto Carlos, Figo & the legendary ZIDANE. NOWHERE close just overhyped overpriced, prentenders.
by Mark (author) on March 09, 2008
Your right the prices in todays world are crazy, i am just dealing within in the current era where transfer costs have spiraled and within that framework i think these players are worth 50m, that is they are worth 50m if anyone is.
I cant believe Saracens lack of vision...."in the old days" rubbish. I am a staunch Liverpool fan, and can clearly hand on heart state, that the last two seasons from Ronaldo have been the best from a footballer in history. He is simply the greatest player ever to step foot on a football pitch - We are lucky enough to witness this in our generation. In years to come, people will look back and talk about Ronaldo in the same way they did about the likes of George Best etc.
by Le on March 09, 2008
This is exactly what is wrong with football this obssion about putting a price tag on players, who is worth more? What a joke.
by Bill M on March 09, 2008
I have to agree all four of these players are absolutely fantastic. They are certainly not 'pretenders'. They are the real deal. Whether its $30M, $50M or even $100M there will be someone who will pay it. Nowadays, it is as much about intellectual property rights associated with their image and sponsorship as it is about football. The true fan will still be slugged with exhorbitant match day entrance costs all the same. Those days when you could pay 5 or even 10 quid to see your team play are distant memories. At least these players can send fans home marvelling at their skills and forget about their holes in their pockets!! If I was to choose one, it would have to be Gerrard. Whenever the chips are down he seems to be able to pull rabbits out of hats! He has that ability to take the game by the scruff of the neck and turn things completely around. The other players have the skills to do that but here's the difference, Gerrard seems to do it not once or twice but all the time! Thats why I think he is currently the best player in the world. The last player who had that ability was none other than the great and incomparable Diego Maradona. Don't get me wrong, they have totally different playing styles but they both shared that consistent game turning or game saving charateristic. I heard a commentator call Gerrard 'Captain Fantastic' the other day and I can't think of a better description for him.
by gilbert power on March 09, 2008
has 2 b cesc
by Ole Gunner on March 09, 2008
No player is worth £50 million.
by redasblood on March 09, 2008
All 4 are fantastic players but i feel that the best club player in the world is Gerrard ,I think that even fans of other teams could pick one player to rescue the game it would have to be him.i dont think he is the best player in the world...but neither was King Kenny...but i cant imagine who else I would have had playing for my club
by veera pat on March 09, 2008
i really think that Liverpool do have 3 $50M players namely: AG. FT and J. Mascherano!!!! the best defensive midfielder in the world!!!!
ooops i meant SG
by undefined again on March 09, 2008
ronaldo is priceless! Man u will not sell, I knew torres was a fantastic striker and when raga went for him I had no doubts, cesc is amazing. I dont think there is a team in the world that he wouldnt walk into and he is only 20 (I think not great at maths) gerrard is also a great player, out of all of them I would probabily pick cesc, just for his stability, football brain and age, he looks like a leader already and although ronaldo is probabily the best at the moment, give a few years and watch cesc flourish!!!!!!