In the 2016/17 season, Real Madrid achieved a historic milestone by becoming the first team to successfully defend their Champions League title, defeating Juventus in the final. With a squad valued at €783 million, Madrid solidified their dominance in European football. Meanwhile, Pep Guardiola took the reins at Manchester City, whose squad was valued at €553 million, and a young Kylian Mbappé began to make waves at AS Monaco.
As part of a comprehensive review of two decades of market values on Transfermarkt, the most valuable players of each season have been highlighted, extending back to 2004.
Lionel Messi of Barcelona emerged as the most valuable player of the 2016/17 season, with a market value of €120 million, €10 million ahead of his longtime rival, Cristiano Ronaldo. Ronaldo, aged 31, saw a decrease in his market value to €110 million. That season, Messi delivered an impressive performance, netting 54 goals and providing 20 assists in 52 matches, making him the leading scorer in Europe, surpassing his teammate Luis Suárez, who had 56 goal contributions and retained a market value of €90 million.
Real Madrid dominated the list of top players, boasting four representatives in the most valuable XI. Among the standout performers was Kylian Mbappé, who at just 18 years old made a significant impact at Monaco. He played a crucial role in guiding his team to the Champions League semifinals with six goals, although they were ultimately eliminated by Juventus. Mbappé also helped Monaco clinch the Ligue 1 title before transferring to Paris Saint-Germain in the summer of 2017. His impressive season saw his market value soar from €1.5 million to €35 million, thanks to 40 goal contributions in 44 games.
At Manchester City, Guardiola succeeded Manuel Pellegrini and made a significant investment of €216 million in new players, marking the Citizens as the highest-spending club for the second consecutive year. Among the new arrivals was Leroy Sané from Schalke, whose transfer fee of €52 million made him the most expensive German player in history. Despite their investment, City finished third in the Premier League, while Chelsea, under Antonio Conte, claimed the title.
The most notable transfer of the season was made by Manchester United, who splashed out a record €105 million to sign Paul Pogba from Juventus. The French midfielder was instrumental for the Red Devils, contributing to 15 goals in 51 appearances across all competitions and helping the team secure the Europa League title.
Additionally, the Chinese Super League made headlines with a major transfer push, as clubs like SH SIPG invested heavily, spending €123 million on new players—ranking ninth in the world for that season. Overall, Chinese Super League clubs collectively invested €545 million in new talent, surpassing the transfer deficits of the Bundesliga, La Liga, Ligue 1, and Serie A combined. Notable signings included Oscar and Hulk, for whom SIPG paid €60 million to Chelsea and €56 million to Zenit St. Petersburg, respectively.
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