It seems the loan system in football gets used more and more each year.

Chelsea are perhaps the most famous example and after seasons of distributing their fringe players across the continent, they've been forced into a mass recall in the wake of their transfer ban.

However, there are plenty of other top European sides that use the system to either give young players the game time they need or peripheral stars the second chance to prove their worth.

And worth is a key word, because the more readily that squad members are loaned out, the more inevitable it becomes that players with high transfer values are stuck in limbo.

The most applicable example right now is Philippe Coutinho who, despite dropping in worth during his time at Barcelona, is currently a loan player who could probably demand astronomical fees.

Most valuable loanees

In light of this, the revered CIES Football Observatory decided to calculate the most valuable players in the world who are currently playing away from their parent clubs.

With players from top Premier League and La Liga clubs featuring, it says a lot about the modern loan system and you can check out the top 15 down below:

15. Alphonse Areola (Real Madrid)

On loan from: Paris Saint-Germain

Transfer value: €28.1 million

14. Ante Rebic (AC Milan)

On loan from: Eintracht Frankfurt

Transfer value: €28.3 million

13. Ivan Perisic (Bayern Munich)

On loan from: Inter Milan

Transfer value: €29.3 million

12. Andre Silva (Eintracht Frankfurt)

On loan from: AC Milan

Transfer value: €30.2 million

11. Tiemoue Bakayoko (AS Monaco)

On loan from: Chelsea

Transfer value: €33.3 million

10. William Saliba (Saint-Etienne)

On loan from: Arsenal

Transfer value: €35.1 million

9. Dean Henderson (Sheffield United)

On loan from: Manchester United

Transfer value: €37.8 million

8. Achraf Hakimi (Borussia Dortmund)

On loan from: Real Madrid

Transfer value: €39.0 million

7. Stefano Sensi (Inter Milan)

On loan from: Sassuolo

Transfer value: €42.1 million

6. Duvan Zapata (Atalanta)

On loan from: Sampdoria

Transfer value: €47.3 million

5. Mauro Icardi (Paris Saint-Germain)

On loan from: Inter Milan

Transfer value: €50.8 million

4. Harry Wilson (Bournemouth)

On loan from: Liverpool

Transfer value: €54.0 million

3. Martin Odegaard (Real Socieded) 

On loan from: Real Madrid

Transfer value: €57.3 million

2. Daniel Ceballos (Arsenal)

On loan from: Real Madrid

Transfer value: €65.7 million

1. Philippe Coutinho (Bayern Munich) 

On loan from: Barcelona

Transfer value: €96.5 million

So, perhaps unsurprisingly, it's Coutinho who rounds off the list with an eye-watering transfer valuation despite almost two years on the slide away from Liverpool

Two Real loanees roll in at second and third place, while the most valuable Premier League export comes in the form of Liverpool's Harry Wilson at a much higher valuation than expected.

Manchester United even have a player on their books in the top ten after Henderson's brilliant start at Sheffield United, before Chelsea and Arsenal make some cameos shortly afterwards.

It goes to show that some of Europe's biggest clubs could easily recall some world-class players and, in turn, that a handful of unsettled loanees could be available more permanently very soon.