A new report has been released on the updated transfer values of players around the world, with Alexander Isak and Nick Woltemade making especially interesting reading.
Newcastle United banked £130m when selling Alexander Isak to Liverpool at the end of the transfer window.
Whilst with both Isak and Callum Wilson needing to be replaced, United brought in Yoane Wissa from Brentford and paid £65m (plus a potential £4.3m in future add-ons) to Stuttgart for Nick Woltemade.
This new January 2026 report is from the CIES Football Observatory and they have looked at all footballers worldwide.
Using their own statistical model to work out what the pecking order of player transfer values is now, as at 6 January 2026.
All the figures they use are in € (Euros)
CIES Football Observatory reporting: ‘Valued at€343 million (approximately £297m), Lamine Yamal continues to be the most expensive player in the world according to the CIES Football Observatory’s statistical model. The young Spaniard is ahead of two centre forwards who, although older, keep scoring and performing well : Erling Haaland €255m (approx £221m) and Kylian Mbappé €201m (£174m).’
The CIES statistical model that they use to give current estimated player transfer values, will no doubt include such factors as age, how long left on contract, injury issues, recent form over period of time as well as longer-term, plus the general direction of travel – where their careers appear to be heading etc.
The newly published CIES Football Observatory report going on to say: ‘At the top of the list in January last year, Jude Bellingham is now fourth (€153 million). The Englishman from Real Madrid is ahead of Bayern Munich’s Frenchman Michael Olise (€137m) and Liverpool’s new signing Florian Wirtz (€136m). The top 10 also includes two Paris St-Germain players, Désiré Doué and João Neves, another Real Madrid member, Arda Güler, and a further FC Barcelona’s footballer: Pedri González.’
The new report allows you to narrow it down to just the player transfer values of those who play in a particular country, so these are the Premier League highest player transfer values…
CIES Football Observatory Player Transfer Values Premier League January 2026
CIES Player Transfer Values Premier League January 2026As you can see, Nick Woltemade will still have five full years left on his Newcastle United contract by the time we get to June 2026 AND at the age of 24 (his birthday is in February) his best years will be still ahead of him. Two massive factors that add to his transfer value, plus of course most importantly, what he is contributing on the pitch, for club and country.
As you can also see, in the Premier League Big Nick is now fifth highest when it comes to player transfer values (as at 6 January 2026) according to CIES, with now a transfer value of €120.5m (approx £104m).
Alexander Isak only 16th highest in the Premier League player transfer values now, despite Liverpool just over four months ago paying more for him than any Premier League club has ever previously paid for a player. The CIES statistical model now valuing Isak at only €95.0m (approx £82m).
Their places in the full world list are respectively, Nick Woltemade 15th highest and Alexander Isak 29th highest transfer value in the world.
Interesting/amusing as well, that Alexander Isak is also valued at far less than new teammate Hugo Ekitike, who is fourth highest in the Premier League player transfer values now at €124.1m (approx £107m). Indeed, four Liverpool players are higher than Isak when it comes to estimated transfer value now.