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Every position ranked
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Earlier this week, Transfermarkt updated the market values of 126 Major League Soccer players. The big focus was on young players, with the likes of Julian Hall, Adri Mehmeti (both Red Bull New York), Cavan Sullivan (Philadelphia Union), and Zavier Gozo (Real Salt Lake City) receiving considerable upgrades. We featured the ten most valuable teenagers in MLS in a piece earlier this week. But how do these teenagers rank with the best in the world? Using our extensive database, Transfermarkt compared the most valuable MLS teenagers with their peers worldwide across all positions.
MLS teenagers: Where do they rank compared to the rest of the world?
Goalkeeper: Duran Ferree (San Diego FC) vs Mathys Niflore (Dunkerque) & Florian Hellstern (Stuttgart)
The most valuable teenage goalkeeper in MLS is San Diego FC’s Ferree. The 19-year-old is a product of San Diego Surf and former USL Championship club San Diego Loyal. A youth international, Feree has played five out of six MLS games for San Diego FC this season. As a result, Feree’s market value jumped from €150,000 to €800,000 in April, which ranks him sixth amongst the most valuable teenage goalkeepers in the world. The two most valuable teenagers in that position are USL Dunkerque’s Niflore and VfB Stuttgart’s Hellstern (€2.5m).
Center-back: Lucas Herrington (Colorado Rapids) vs Pau Cubarsí (Barca)
You have to go down a long way down the list to find the most valuable MLS teenage center-back among the world’s elite. The most valuable teenage center-back by some distance is Colorado Rapids’ new signing Herrington. The 18-year-old Australian national team player saw his market value upgraded to €1.5m as part of the April update. That ranks him €1.3m ahead of second-placed Ian James (Sporting Kansas City). Globally, Herrington, together with a big group of players, ranks 19th. The most valuable teenage center-back? Pau Cubarsí from Barcelona. Cubarsí has a market value of €80m.
Full-back: Peyton Miller (New England Revolution) vs Myles Lewis-Skelly (Arsenal)
Although his market value didn’t change in the April update, Miller remains the most valuable teenage full-back in MLS. The 18-year-old New England Revolution wonderkid ranks ahead of San Diego’s Luca Bombino (€2.5m) within MLS. Globally, Miller’s market value ranks him eighth among a group. The most valuable teenage full-back is Arsenal’s Lewis-Skelly. The 19-year-old saw his market value skyrocket to €35m this season.
Defensive midfield: Luis Otávio (Orlando City) vs Marc Bernal (Barca)
Also ranked eighth among global talent is Orlando City’s defensive midfielder Otávio. Otávio received a significant market value upgrade this spring to match the transfer fee Orlando paid to sign the player from Internacional. The expectations are high that the 18-year-old will develop into a standout player in MLS. Although the start has been difficult, Otávio certainly has potential. The two most valuable teenage defensive midfielders in the world are still somewhat ahead of him. Barcelona’s 18-year-old Marc Bernal has a market value of €30m. Just behind Bernal is the two-year-younger Kennet Eichhorn (Hertha Berlin), with a market value of €20m.
Central midfield: Adri Mehmeti (Red Bull New York) vs Ayyoub Bouaddi (Lille)
The most valuable teenage central midfielder in the world is Bouaddi. The 18-year-old Lille midfielder has hit €50m as part of this March’s Ligue 1 market value update. The most valuable teenage central midfielder in MLS is still somewhat removed from that kind of level. But Mehmeti's rise this season has been spectacular. After leading Red Bull New York’s MLS Next Pro team to the title last season, the 17-year-old received a starting market value of €1m and then a quick upgrade to €3m earlier this week. That ranks him 16th in the world.
Attacking midfield: Cavan Sullivan (Philadelphia) vs Lennart Karl (Bayern Munich)
Also ranked 16th is Sullivan. The Philadelphia Union attacking midfielder, who will join Man City once he turns 18, saw his market value increase to €4.5m as part of the April update. Only 16, Sullivan is one of the five most valuable players born in 2009. He also holds the record for the youngest MLS player in history. This season, Sullivan has scored two goals and four assists in eight games across all competitions and is poised to make the next step in his development. Although considered a top talent in MLS, the gap to the top is still considerable. After all, the most valuable teenage attacking midfielder is Bayern Munich’s Karl (€60m). Karl has been outstanding this season, scoring nine goals and seven assists in 36 games across all competitions, and made his debut for Germany’s senior national team.
Winger: Zavier Gozo (Real Salt Lake) vs Lamine Yamal (Barca)
The comparison in this position is brutal. After all, the most valuable teenage winger is also one of the three most valuable players in the world: Yamal. Alongside Erling Haaland (Man City) and Kylian Mbappé (Real Madrid), Yamal is one of just three players with a market value of €200m. In comparison, the most valuable teenage winger in MLS is Gozo. The 19-year-old Real Salt Lake City winger is one of the big market value winners of the April update. But even then, his €4m market value puts him €196m behind the top spot at 21st overall.
Forward: Julian Hall (Red Bull New York) vs Christian Kofane (Leverkusen), Junior Kroupi (Bournemouth)
Julian Hall is one of the big winners of the April market value update. The Red Bull New York striker saw his market value grow by €4m from €1m to €5m. That market value ranks Hall 11th in the world. The US center-forward, who also has a Polish passport and models his game on Robert Lewandowski, has scored five goals in six MLS games this season. That’s a phenomenal scoring rate for a teenager. With that in mind, how much longer will Hall remain in MLS? Already, top clubs in Europe have an eye on the striker. RB Leipzig and Bayern Munich have been linked. Already in Europe is Kofane. The Leverkusen striker is playing his first full season in Germany and has been a real star. Linked to Arsenal, Bayern, Chelsea, and Barcelona, Kofane’s market value is €40m, which, alongside Bourenmouth’s Kroupi, makes him the most valuable teenage center-forward in the world.
