Haaland, Saka & Greenwood: Which players' value has increased the most in 2020?

The emergence of raw footballing talent captures an audience in a rather unique way.

There is something distinctly captivating about younger players, stacked with promise, the full extent of their potential an exciting unknown, providing reassurance that there is an adequate supply of the superstars football fans yearn to idolise.

There is no set metric used to distinguish how rapidly these exciting prodigies are developing into global superstars, but changes in market value, as per Transfermarkt, offer a strong indication of increasing quality over time.

Here at GiveMeSport, we've rounded up the 27 players who have enjoyed the biggest rise in market value in 2020 so far.

The list, unsurprisingly, is dominated by younger breakthrough talents, but there are a handful of more established figures who make it onto the list.

Here's the 27-man list ranked from lowest to highest increase since 1 January 2020...

27. Giovanni Reyna (£13.5m increase)

Market value: £13.5m

The 17-year-old is yet another prodigy emerging at Borussia Dortmund.

Reyna is the son of the former Manchester City player, Claudio Reyna, and big things are expected of the aspiring USA international.

With three goals and six assists in 23 senior appearances in 2020, the right-footed attacking midfielder has announced himself to the footballing world in some style.

26. Marash Kumbulla (£13.5m increase)

Market value: £22.5m

The Albania international enjoyed an excellent season with Hellas Verona in 2019/20, impressing at the heart of defence.

His performances attracted interest from AS Roma and the Serie A giants have since signed him on a two-year loan deal with an obligation to buy clause included.

25. Riqui Puig (£13.5m increase)

Market value: £22.5m

A product of Barcelona's revered La Masia academy, Puig got his first taste of senior action in 2020.

The diminutive midfielder started five La Liga games for the Spanish giants, and he looks set to remain part of the senior fold this season.

24. Jarrod Bowen (£13.5m increase)

Market value: £22.5m

Jarrod Bowen's form in the second tier of English football was never going to go unnoticed.

The 23-year-old was a goal machine at Hull City and his form warranted his move to the Premier League with West Ham, a deal went through on transfer deadline day in January.

Three goals in four Premier League games to start this season attest to his prowess in front of goal.

23. Pau Torres (£13.5m increase)

Market value: £27m

Pau Torres has firmly established himself as a rock at the heart of Villarreal's defensive line-up.

His form at club level earned him his first international start in a UEFA Nations League clash against Germany in March earlier this year.

If he can cement his place in Spain's defensive unit his value will only continue to rise at an exponential rate.

22. Takefusa Kubo (£13.5m increase)

Market value: £27m

Kubo, a 7-cap Japan international, is one of the most exciting young wingers in European football.

The 19-year-old enjoyed a promising stint on loan at Real Mallorca last season, scoring four goals and laying on five assists in 35 La Liga appearances.

Real Madrid have once again opted to send him out on loan, with Villarreal his destination for the 2020/21 season.

21. Mikel Merino (£13.5m increase)

Market value: £31.5m

Newcastle United fans will be watching Merino's progress from afar with genuine intrigue.

Having impressed for Real Sociedad in La Liga since his departure from St James' Park, the 24-year-old earned his first caps for Spain in 2020.

The left-footed technician is effective in both the defensive and offensive third, and he could soon be ready for a club who can offer Champions League football.

20. Jules Kounde (£13.5m increase)

Market value: £36m

The 21-year-old centre-back moved to Sevilla in a big-money move in July 2019.

An impressive debut season in La Liga reportedly earned interest from Manchester City, who eventually signed Ruben Dias instead after their bid for Kounde was rejected.

Rumours linking the Frenchman with the four-time Premier League champions have boosted his stock.

19. Dejan Kulusevski (£13.5m increase)

Market value: £36m

The Sweden international earned a £29.7m move to Juventus at the beginning of 2020.

He was immediately sent back on loan to Parma where he notched a staggering total of ten goals and nine assists in 36 Serie A appearances.

Kulusevski is already off the mark for the Old Lady this season and will be hoping to etch his name into Andrea Pirlo's regular starting XI.

18. Edmond Tapsoba (£15.75m increase)

Market value: £19.8m

Tapsoba, 21, signed for Bayer Leverkusen from Portuguese outfit Vitória Guimaraes in January 2020 in a deal that handed him an opportunity to impress in one of Europe's most prestigious leagues.

A regular feature in the centre of the German outfit's backline, the Burkina Faso international, who has drawn comparisons with Jerome Boateng, is showing serious potential.

17. Gabriel Veron (£16.2m increase)

Market value: £22.5m

The only player on the list who doesn't ply their trade in European football.

Veron currently plays for Palmeiras and, such is the extent of his potential, it is expected that he'll follow a similar path to his compatriot Gabriel Jesus, who also came through the ranks at the Brazilian outfit.

Tentative rumours linking the 18-year-old with a move to the Premier League have already started to surface.

16. Unai Simon (£18m increase)

Market value: £27m

One of two shot stoppers to make it onto the list.

Simon recorded an incredibly impressive 13 clean sheets in 34 La Liga appearances during the 2019/20 season, warranting his marked increase here.

15. Marcos Llorente (£18m increase)

Market value: £36m

Liverpool's chief nemesis, Marcos Llorente, has enjoyed a fantastic 2020 at Atletico Madrid.

The 25-year-old almost single-handedly knocked the Reds out of the Champions League with a stunning brace at Anfield, and he finished the campaign with five goals and as many assists in all competitions.

A versatile midfielder who can play deep, high and out wide, it's easy to see why the Spaniard's value has soared this year.

14. Theo Hernandez (£18m increase)

Market value: £40.5m

AC Milan's enchanting left-back has established a reputation for his forward-thinking dynamism.

Hernandez notched a staggering six goals and provided five assists in just 33 Serie A appearances last term.

Given the premium on full-backs in the modern game, the 23-year-old merits his £40.5m valuation.

13. Federico Valverde (£18m increase)

Market value: £63m

A regular fixture in Real Madrid's starting XI, Valverde continues to justify his reputation as one of the most promising young midfielders in Europe.

And with 21 Uruguay caps already under his belt, the 22-year-old looks destined for a career at the apex of European football.

12. Thibaut Courtois (£18m increase)

Market value: £67.5m

The second goalkeeping entry on the list may raise a few eyebrows.

Courtois endured a difficult opening to his career at Real Madrid and that sent his value down to £49.5m prior to the turn of the year.

However, a solid 2020 has catapulted his value to its highest ever point.

11. Trincao (£18m increase)

Market value: £27m

Trincao, 20, scored nine goals and provided 13 assists for Braga in all competitions throughout the 2019/20 season.

His reward: a £26m move to Barcelona.

Dubbed the next Cristiano Ronaldo by some, the flying winger also made his Portugal debut this year.

10. Bukayo Saka (£19.8m increase)

Market value: £31.5m

Arsenal's versatile academy product has enjoyed a rapid rise to prominence in the Premier League.

Capable of playing as both a left-winger and a left-wing-back, Saka has been a shining light under Mikel Arteta.

The 19-year-old was rewarded with his first England cap at Wembley on Thursday evening, and he almost capped his international debut with a goal as Wales goalkeeper Wayne Hennessy clawed away his deflected strike.

A bright future lies ahead for a youngster who isn't showing any signs that his progress is going to his head.

9. Alessandro Bastoni (£19.8m increase)

Market value: £40.5m

Bastoni signed for Inter Milan as an 18-year-old, but he has spent most his time on loan since arriving at the San Siro.

Last season, however, he made his breakthrough for the Nerazzurri, starting 21 times in Serie A while also featuring regularly in the Europa League.

The Italian centre-back has all the hallmarks of a future regular at international level.

8. Jude Bellingham (£22.05m increase)

Market value: £24.3m

Borussia Dortmund set a new world-record transfer fee for a 17-year-old when they landed Bellingham in the summer transfer window.

The pulsating midfielder was an outstanding talent in Birmingham City's line-up last season, whether he was playing in a central role or from the left hand side.

Three Bundesliga starts this term point towards the level of exposure he is likely to receive in Germany's youngster-friendly top-flight.

7. Mason Greenwood (£22.50m increase)

Market value: £40.5m

Greenwood is one of the purest finishers to grace the Premier League in recent years, and history will tell you that goal scorers seldom come cheap.

The most frightening thing about the 19-year-old is that he is equally adroit at striking the ball with both his left and right foot.

Man United's hot prospect would almost certainly attract a fee in excess of his Transfermarkt value if an interested party were to submit an offer.

6. Renan Lodi (£22.50m increase)

Market value: £45m

Renan Lodi enjoyed an excellent debut season for Atletico Madrid in 2019/20 following his move from Brazilian side Athletico Paranese.

At just 22 years of age, the flying left-back's value lies in his longevity.

5. Diego Carlos (£22.50m increase)

Market value: £45m

Sevilla's Brazilian Goliath has attracted interest from Man City and Liverpool in 2020.

His stock has doubled as a result, making him the 12th most valuable centre-back in world football, per Transfermarkt.

4. Lucas Ocampos (£22.50m increase)

Market value: £45m

Ocampos joins his Sevilla teammate, Carlos, in the top five.

A return of 17 goals and 5 assists in all competitions last term pushed him into the Argentina squad, but at 26 the winger can be considered something of a late bloomer.

3. Erling Haaland (£31.50m increase)

Market value: £72m

Haaland, the extraterrestrial sensation who has world football on strings, is a brute force of mind-boggling quality - and boy does he know it.

There are shades of Zlatan Ibrahimovic in his interviews while the regularity at which he finds the net has been unrelenting since he swapped RB Salzburg for Dortmund at the turn of the year.

It’s going to take a gargantuan fee to prise this man away from Dortmund.

2. Ansu Fati (£36m increase)

Market value: £72m

Fati, who is still just 17 years old, broke into Barcelona's senior fold last season and made quite the splash.

Though his name may suggest otherwise, Fati is an agile, electric winger who looks nailed on for a glittering career at the summit of world football.

1. Alphonso Davies (£49.50m increase)

Market value: £72m

The road-running extraordinaire, Davies, takes top spot following a remarkable year of progress at Bayern Munich.

The jet-heeled left-back played a starring role in Bayern Munich's run to the Champions League final last season, setting the competition alight with his ability to destroy reputations with a single drop of the shoulder.

One slalom in the demolition of Barcelona, in particular, which culminated with the assist for Joshua Kimmich to notch Bayern's fifth of eight goals on the night, showcased a weapon in his armoury that carries the potential to both bamboozle and embarrass those who dare try retrieve the ball from the Canadian.

It's been a truly meteoric rise for Davies this year and his astronomical increase in value reflects the extent of his achievements.