Leicester City would have to smash their transfer record to sign Facundo Buonanotte from Brighton, new data has revealed, with the attacking midfielder ranking among the most expensive under-21s in world football.
Buonanotte has been one of the stars of City’s season so far, dazzling with his dribbling ability and contributing three goals and two assists to their fight for Premier League survival. Already, fans are desperate for him to stay beyond his year-long loan from the Seagulls.
It does not seem as if Brighton have any intention to sell, with all signs pointing to the Argentinian returning to their squad next season having had a year of development at the King Power Stadium. But if they were to sell him, they could charge a handsome fee.
The CIES Football Observatory, the Switzerland-based data analysts, have this week put together a list of the 100 most valuable under-21 players in world football, using age, contract, performance and many other factors as their guide. Buonanotte, after his impressive start to the campaign, is tied 15th on the list, the 19-year-old deemed to be worth €58.1m.
That works out at £48.4m and so would comfortably be City’s transfer record if that painted an accurate picture of the figure Brighton would charge. City’s biggest spend to date was the £32m, rising to £40m, they spent on midfielder Youri Tielemans.
Interestingly, Buonanotte is one of three players currently at City who make the top 100. Only Brighton and PSG have more representatives on the list.
Winger Abdul Fatawu comes in at 35th on the list at a price of €37.1m (£30.9m), which is way above the £14m they paid Sporting Lisbon for his signature in the summer. Another new recruit, attacking midfielder Bilal El Khannouss, ranks 55th at €26.6m (£22.2m), slightly above the £20m City paid for him in the summer.
Not unexpectedly, Barcelona’s teenage sensation Lamine Yamal ranks as the most expensive under-21 player. The Euro 2024 winner is deemed to be worth an astonishing €180.9m (£150.7m).
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