The January transfer window conveniently looms during a period of the Premier League season when the title race really begins to heat up. It's the time of year when football supporters devote lengthy discussions to arguing how much a player is worth and subsequently the amount of money a club should spend on acquiring their top transfer targets. Market valuations are becoming an increasingly important consideration for clubs, even those with billionaire backers, to avoid overstepping the restrictions set by UEFA Financial Fair Play rules. From an on-pitch perspective, signing up the biggest stars in the world is vital to ensuring a side can compete in the upper echelons of any given competition particularly one as fierce as the Premier League. The current state of play in the English topflight sees Chelsea six points clear at the summit as Southampton, Arsenal and both the Manchester clubs gear up for a busy winter as the chasing pack mount a bid to catch-up the west Londoners. Beyond English shores, Real Madrid, Barcelona, Bayern Munich and Paris Saint-Germain are also on the hunt to secure elite players to enhance their prospects on both the domestic and continental stage. The financial stability of the Premier League means English clubs can usually keep hold of their most valuable stars no matter what sort of money is thrown at them, but look where Cristiano Ronaldo and Gareth Bale wound up despite being two of the most cherished players in the country at the time they departed. So here, lined up in a frighteningly top-heavy 3-4-1-2 formation, is the most valuable eleven in the Premier League according to figures sourced from transfermarkt.com.
Luke is a Bachelor of Journalism (Sport) student at La Trobe University in Melbourne, Australia. A passionate fan of football competitions across the world, he also contributes to other outlets including The Sportster, GiveMeSport and ChelseaDaft.
