Romelu Lukaku is the most valuable player in Manchester United’s squad and the eighth most valuable player in Europe’s top five leagues, according to a new study.
The CIES Football Observatory value Lukaku at €162million. Only Kylian Mbappe, Harry Kane, Neymar, Raheem Sterling, Mo Salah, Paulo Dybala and Lionel Messi are worth more than the Belgian, the study says.
Paul Pogba, valued at €130.3million is the 17th most valuable player in the world, while Marcus Rashford,valued at €90.4million, is the 36th most valuable player.
There are no other United players in the top 100.
CIES explain that the valuations are based on a number of factors, including age, nationality and the length of time a player has left on their contract at their current club.
Lukaku scored his third goal in as many appearances against Reading at the weekend and afterwards he credited United’s interim boss Ole Gunnar Solskjaer with improving his game.
“He talks to me all the time and I like that,” Lukaku said. “He played in a way that I like to play, and also the rest of the team, and we are just enjoying our football right now.
”He’s taught me a lot. Movement-wise, and stuff like that, but obviously he knows the type of striker that I am. From the first day when I came back in, he did a total analysis of my game. I was really surprised but he helped me a lot and I am looking forward to keeping on working with him.
“He really wants me to face the goal because he knows that I am at my most dangerous when I do that, when I’m moving off the shoulder of the defender but also trying to stay on the move all the time.
“The work that we have been doing over the last couple of weeks is good, and I just take it every day at a time and I want to improve my game. He was ice cold when he was in front of the goal and that is something I like.“