Bayern Munich has made progress towards generating income from its campus this summer, with multiple sales of academy talents contributing to Bayern's overall summer transfer income — estimated at over €50M, per Transfermarkt.
It has been called the 'summer of the century' by Bayern honorary president Uli Hoeneß, according to an interview he gave to Kicker. However, the Bavarians are naturally hoping for more first team-ready products to emerge for themselves, to follow in the recent examples of Aleksandar Pavlović and Lennart Karl.
Via Kicker journalist Frank Linkesch, as captured by iMiaSanMia:
Speaking to kicker, Uli Hoeneß says he's very happy with the funds the club managed to raise in the summer by selling Campus players. Hoeneß has even called it "summer of the century", saying that when the Campus was established, he was thinking more about producing players for the first team than generating transfer revenue from sales.
Hoeneß calls the resulting income "a nice side effect," adding that the academy has long since paid for itself. And in an era of exorbitant salaries, it can also help ease the financial burden on the first-team budget.

#generating

As every week, check out the top 20 scorers (goals + **** ists) of the 2026-27 season in Europe's five major leagues!
Second episode of the 2026-2027 season this Thursday!
The Bundesliga has finally kicked off, and two of its players, who both scored hat-tricks last weekend to get their seasons underway, therefore enter the rankings.
A Clásico between Barcelona and Real Madrid is lighting up the top of the table; meanwhile, Le Mans' striker is in the top 10, as is Olivier Giroud in the top 20, at 40 years old. Magnificent!
NB: In the event of a tie on points between two players, the more complete one (with the smaller difference between goals and **** ists) ranks higher. The statistics come from the specialist website Transfermarkt.

#season #second #bundesliga

Olympique de Marseille and Crystal Palace are reported to have reopened negotiations regarding a potential transfer of Quinten Timber (25), according to information from L'Équipe.
Believing that the depth and quality of their midfield is sufficient, OM's management – who continue to seek funds to meet the financial constraints imposed by the National Directorate for Financial Control (DNCG) – are said to have opened the door to the departure of the Dutchman.
Talks regarding a transfer worth over €18m are reportedly underway, alongside those being conducted by the Eagles in an attempt to finalise the deal for Malick Fofana (21).
Having joined OM from Feyenoord for €4.5m last winter, Timber has made 17 appearances in the white and blue since his arrival.
An international, the Utrecht-born player has earned 13 caps (one goal) for the Netherlands. Under contract with Marseille until 2030, he is valued at around €25m by the specialist website Transfermarkt.

#financial #olympique

Eintracht Frankfurt attacker Jean-Mattéo Bahoya is set to join Leeds United after the Premier League side moved decisively for the 21-year-old on deadline day. Sky Germany, Sport Bild and The Athletic all report that Leeds entered concrete negotiations with Frankfurt on Tuesday. Italian transfer expert Fabrizio Romano subsequently reports that an agreement has been reached on a loan deal containing a mandatory €30m purchase clause.
The development comes just two days after another proposed move to England collapsed. Get German Football News reported on Sunday that Bahoya had personally rejected a transfer to Hull City despite Frankfurt and the newly-promoted Premier League side having already reached a verbal agreement at club level.
Frankfurt nevertheless remained prepared to negotiate a late departure for the France U21 international. Bahoya joined Eintracht from Angers SCO for approximately €8m in January 2024 and remains under contract through 2029. The winger has since made 78 competitive appearances for the RheinMain club, registering 15 scorer points.
A €30m permanent transfer would consequently leave Frankfurt with a significant profit on a player currently valued at €25m by Transfermarkt.
Bahoya required some time to establish himself after arriving from Angers, but gradually developed into one of Frankfurt's more intriguing young attacking players. The Frenchman spoke about overcoming his difficult initial adjustment to life in Germany last October, crediting Eintracht's French-speaking contingent with helping him settle both on and off the pitch.

#transfer

Hamburg have officially completed the signing of Morocco international Zakaria El Ouahdi from KRC Genk, finally landing their preferred solution on the right side after several weeks of negotiations. The 24-year-old successfully completed his medical on Sunday before signing his contract with the Bundesliga club.
According to Transfermarkt, HSV will pay an initial €8m transfer fee, with another €3m potentially due through bonuses. Genk have also reportedly secured a percentage of any future sale. The structure represents potentially excellent business for Hamburg given El Ouahdi's current estimated €17m market value.
Get German Football News reported previously that HSV had intensified their pursuit of El Ouahdi after agreeing personal terms with the player. Hamburg were preparing another attempt to reach an agreement with Genk after seeing two earlier approaches rejected.
Sporting director Claus Costa ultimately refused to abandon the pursuit or meet Genk's initial demands, with the two clubs eventually finding common ground through a lower guaranteed fee supplemented by bonuses and a sell-on clause.
El Ouahdi arrives to address one of the clearest remaining deficiencies in Hamburg's squad. Following the departures of William Mikelbrencis and Giorgi Gocholeishvili, Bakery Jatta had entered the new Bundesliga campaign with little genuine competition on the right side. Jatta subsequently struggled defensively during Hamburg's 2-0 defeat away at Borussia Dortmund.

#signing

Borussia Dortmund may have identified another possible replacement for the injured Giannis Konstantelias, with Polish talent Marcel Regula reportedly emerging as a serious late-window option. Polish outlet Meczyki.pl – as relayed by FT – reports that BVB have reached an agreement with both Zagłębie Lubin and the 19-year-old attacking midfielder over a possible transfer.
The deal is not yet complete, however.
Dortmund are reportedly continuing to **** s several alternatives before making a final decision, with **** nal youngster Ethan Nwaneri still among the options under consideration. Zagłębie and Regula are nevertheless said to be waiting for the Bundesliga club to give the green light.
Regula has already been linked with Dortmund this summer, with BVB interest first surfacing at the beginning of August. The Poland U21 international has also attracted attention from Cologne, who reportedly explored a move amid uncertainty surrounding Said El Mala's future.
A transfer fee of approximately €8m had previously been discussed for Regula, who currently maintains an estimated €7m market value in the latest Transfermarkt listings. The teenager could represent a comparatively inexpensive permanent solution for Dortmund after Konstantelias' serious knee injury forced the Dortmund administrative team to re-enter the summer transfer market after spending heavily to complete the squad.

#dortmund #reportedly #polish #summer

As reported by Alfredo Pedullà, while there is reported interest in ******* nal forward Gabriel Martinelli from Serie A clubs, nothing concrete has materialised to even suggest a proposal is on the horizon.
Roma's name has been linked with the Brazil winger, though for them he has never really been an option. Napoli are expected to have taken a look but have not shown an inclination to test the waters at the Emirates.
Inter, meanwhile, have been named in Brazilian papers as his strongest suitors, but no concrete proposal seems to be coming anytime soon. They're expected to be focusing on outgoings after sealing Curtis Jones' signing from Liverpool, and may only consider an opportunistic move near deadline day.
Valued by Transfermarkt at €45 million, the 25-year-old is now in the final year of his £180,000-per-week contract at ******* nal.
Martinelli had been expected to be on the move even before the arrival of Christos Tzolis, who has started the season on fire and looks set to make that left-wing berth his own.

#concrete

Harry Kane put another amazing season to bed and created an extraordinary amount of distance between himself and Europe's other elite goalscorers since joining Bayern Munich. According to Transfermarkt data (as captured by iMiaSanMia), Kane has scored 146 goals in 147 games across all competitions since his move from Tottenham in 2023. No player from Europe's top five leagues has scored more during that span:
Since he joined Bayern 3 years ago, no player from Europe's top 5 leagues has scored more goals than Harry Kane in all competitions [Transfermarkt] pic.twitter.com/MGOpbe4tIV
The gap to the rest of the list is striking. Kylian Mbappé, who played for Paris Saint-Germain and now plays for Real Madrid during this period, ranks second with 130 goals in 151 games, while Manchester City's Erling Haaland has scored 108 in 143 appearances.
Kane's advantage over Mbappé is particularly notable. The Bayern striker has scored 16 more goals despite playing four fewer games, giving him a scoring rate of almost exactly one goal per appearance.
Former VfB Stuttgart and current Borussia Dortmund striker Serhou Guirassy follows Haaland with 90 goals in 126 games, while former Bayern striker and fellow MLS competitor of Thomas Müller, Robert Lewandowski, ranks fifth with 87 goals in 147 appearances. Lewandowski currently plays for Chicago Fire. Lautaro Martínez, Mohamed Salah, Alexander Sørloth, Vinícius Junior and Julián Álvarez round out the top 10.

#games #harry #mbapp

Well, here's an interesting story — Pape Matar Sarr might actually have a market. According to AfricaFoot (not really a Tier 1 source but interesting nonetheless), Galatasaray have an interest in the Senegalese midfielder and have gone as far as to agree personal terms with Sarr, but as of the time of this posting the clubs haven't come to an agreement over a transfer fee.
The report states that the personal agreement is for wages in Turkey of €9m/year which comes out to about £148k/wk. What it does NOT state is whether those wages are gross, or if they're net — Turkey is pretty well-known for being able to offer incredible wages to footballers because they have favorable tax situations there. It's famously why Victor Osimhen is at Galatasaray right now and not an actually good football club, and why actually good football clubs are hesitant to try and purchase him because he's on absolutely insane gross wages there.
The article also suggests Gala are wanting a three year contract for Sarr. It doesn't state whether the clubs are actually in talks at all, and so if any of this is true I'd expect to see it in the English papers before too long. Transfermarkt, which is notoriously unreliable when it comes to actual player values, lists Sarr as being worth around £25m, but who knows what he'll actually go for.
Sarr has been a player linked with an exit this summer for a while now, and it wouldn't surprise me if he goes. He's a player with a lot of utility and a motor that lasts for days, but he hasn't developed the technical skills that Spurs hoped for when they signed him from Metz a few years ago. He probably needs a fresh start somewhere else and I can see him doing well in Turkey or a return to Ligue 1.

#wages #turkey #interesting #personal

Éder Militão, Rodrygo and Ferland Mendy all started Real Madrid's 2-0 win over Atalanta in Warsaw in the 2024 UEFA Super Cup. Kylian Mbappé had just arrived and scored on his debut, and Madrid appeared to be entering another dominant cycle. The reality that followed in the next two years was brutal.
According to Transfermarkt, Militão has missed 90 matches for club and country since the start of the 2024-25 season after suffering ACL injuries in both knees. Over the same period, Mendy has dealt with nine separate injuries and missed 55 matches for Real Madrid. Rodrygo has missed 30 matches since the beginning of 2024-25 and is currently recovering from an ACL injury of his own.
Arancha Rodríguez reported that Rodrygo is expected to return in early 2027. Militão could be back by late September or early October this year, while Mendy's return is currently projected for around the end of the year.
As per Capology, Rodrygo's fixed gross annual salary, excluding bonuses, is €16.67 million. Éder Militão earns €14.58 million, while Ferland Mendy earns €10.42 million. All three contracts run until June 30, 2028.
Together, those contracts account for 14.12% of Real Madrid's current salary bill for 2026-27 and 16.13% for 2027-28. The latter figure is naturally subject to change depending on the club's transfer activity in the summer of 2027.

#since

Niclas Füllkrug could be on his way back to Werder Bremen. According to Transfermarkt, West Ham United are considering allowing the 33-year-old to leave the club on a free transfer.
Füllkrug joined West Ham from Borussia Dortmund in 2024 for around €27 million, but his spell in England has been disappointing. Injuries repeatedly kept him out, and he scored just three goals for the Hammers. Last season, he was loaned to AC Milan, where he managed only one goal in 20 appearances.
West Ham had been looking for around €5 million for the Germany international, but with no suitable offer arriving, the club could now consider terminating his contract.
That would be a major boost for Werder Bremen. Füllkrug came through Werder's academy and enjoyed the best spell of his career at the club, becoming the Bundesliga's joint top scorer in 2022/23. According to Transfermarkt, Werder are already in contact with the striker and are interested in bringing him back.
A free transfer could make the deal considerably more realistic, although Füllkrug's salary could still prove an obstacle. For the striker, meanwhile, returning to Bremen could offer the perfect opportunity to revive his career.

#llkrug #club #transfermarkt #back

VfB Stuttgart have extended Laurin Ulrich's contract through 2028 and sent the highly rated midfielder on a season-long loan to Bundesliga newcomers SC Paderborn. The 21-year-old becomes the latest addition to an extensive Paderborn Bundesliga rebuild. According to Transfermarkt, a €600,000 loan fee is attached to the deal. Ulrich made his senior top-flight debut against Bayer Leverkusen in 2022, but that remains his only Bundesliga appearance to date.
Ulrich had previously been contracted to Stuttgart through 2027. The one-year extension prior to his departure makes clear that VfB continue to view their academy product as a player with a potential future at the club. The move will provide Ulrich with something Stuttgart have not yet been able to offer him consistently: Bundesliga football.
Paderborn will represent Ulrich's third loan ******* ignment in the ******* e of two years. The first, at SSV Ulm in 2024/25, proved unsuccessful. Ulrich made only five appearances and one start before returning to Stuttgart early. His subsequent spell with 1. FC Magdeburg proved considerably more productive. Ulrich established himself as a central figure in midfield during a difficult 2025/26 campaign, starting 32 of his 33 league appearances and registering three goals and three ******* ists. Across all competitions, he featured 36 times.
Ulrich joined Stuttgart's academy in 2016 and progressed through the club's youth ranks before playing an important role for VfB II. His development there included helping the reserves secure promotion to the 3. Liga before his successive second-tier loans. Stuttgart sporting executive Fabian Wohlgemuth consequently continues to regard Ulrich as a product of the club's long-term development system.
For Paderborn, Ulrich provides another technically gifted attacking-midfield option following the departure of Mika Baur to Celtic. Baur's exit generated at least €5.25m and represented a club-record sale. Paderborn have subsequently reinvested heavily following promotion.

#paderborn #bundesliga #only

Borussia Dortmund have wasted little time changing their transfer strategy after ending their pursuit of Köln's Said El Mala. With the deal for the winger off the table, BVB have turned their attention to Giannis Konstantelias - and the move is now progressing rapidly.
According to Transfermarkt and reports from Greece, the 23-year-old PAOK attacker is travelling to Dortmund to undergo his medical. Should everything go according to plan, Konstantelias is expected to sign a four-year contract with the Bundesliga club. The overall package is reportedly worth around €30 million, including potential bonus payments.
Dortmund's move for Konstantelias represents a significant change of direction. The club had spent weeks trying to sign El Mala from 1. FC Köln, but ultimately walked away after failing to reach an agreement over the guaranteed portion of the transfer fee. BVB's final offer was reportedly close to €50 million, while Köln continued to demand a higher guaranteed payment. Dortmund therefore decided against making another attempt and immediately began looking for alternatives.
Konstantelias appears to be a particularly attractive option because he fits several of the qualities Dortmund have been looking for. The Greek international is capable of playing on the wing as well as in attacking midfield, although he is most comfortable in a central role. His pace, dribbling ability and versatility make him a natural fit for Dortmund's attacking plans.
The youngster has also made an impressive start to the new season. Konstantelias scored three goals and provided an ******* ist in four Europa League qualifying matches for PAOK, although the Greek club were ultimately eliminated by Anderlecht in the third qualifying round.

#paok #greek #year

Ferran Torres has this weekend taken his place high up the list of La Liga giants Barcelona's biggest-ever transfer market sales.
Frontman Ferran is for his part fresh off seeing his long-anticipated Camp Nou exit made official. After a saga spanning much of the summer window, the 26-year-old put pen to paper on a long-term contract with Champions League holders Paris Saint-Germain.
Ferran leaves behind a solid legacy in the colours of Barcelona, featuring, most notably, 65 goals, three La Liga ******* les, the Copa del Rey, and a trio of Spanish Super Cups.
After moving on with less than 12 months remaining on his contract, though, where does the former Manchester City man feature on the Blaugrana's list of most expensive sales ever?
An insight into as much has today been provided by market experts 'Transfermarkt '.

#ever

SC Paderborn are reportedly closing in on the signing of former Bayern Munich attacking prospect Gabriel Vidovic from Dinamo Zagreb. According to Croatian outlet Sportske Novosti, Paderborn are prepared to pay approximately €3m for the 22-year-old. Sky Germany – as relayed by transfermarkt.de – has subsequently confirmed the Bundesliga newcomers' pursuit.
Vidovic only completed a permanent departure from Bayern last summer. The Augsburg-born Croatia youth international joined Dinamo for around €1.2m after previously spending three separate spells away from the German record champions on loan.
His future had initially appeared less certain. Get German Football News reported in June 2025 that Heidenheim were attempting to acquire Vidovic, with the Ostalb club willing to consider either a loan or permanent transfer.
Only three days later, however, GGFN reported that Heidenheim had missed out as Vidovic instead moved towards a permanent switch to Dinamo Zagreb.
The Croatian attacker has since registered seven goals and five **** ists for Dinamo. His current market value stands at approximately €3m after previously reaching €3.5m during an earlier loan spell with the Zagreb club.

#vidovic #dinamo #zagreb #croatian

Giovanni Reyna has left Borussia Mönchengladbach to join French top-flight side Racing Strasbourg. According to Transfermarkt, the transfer fee is €3 million, which is less than what Gladbach paid to sign the United States international from Borussia Dortmund last summer.
After his return from the World Cup, he left Gladbach's training camp to complete his move to Strasbourg. Reyna signed a contract until 2031 as long-term contracts are standard with BlueCo management.
Reyna has only appeared in 19 Bundesliga games for Gladbach. He played 147 games in all competitions for Borussia Dortmund in the previous six seasons. Reyna was part of the United States squad that reached the Round of 16 in the 2026 World Cup.
"Gio (Reyna) is an excellent player who unfortunately only showed glimpses of his potential during his year here. He was unable to consistently demonstrate his ability on the pitch due to several injuries. We wish him all the best and every success in this exciting challenge in France." said Gladbach's Head of Sports Rouven Schröder.

#strasbourg #dortmund #only

Jesper Lindstrøm's proposed loan move to Schalke 04 from SSC Napoli seemed all but done, but the deal has now collapsed, according to multiple sources, including Sky Germany, Bild and Transfermarkt.
The Danish winger arrived in Germany on Friday ahead of the proposed transfer, but he will now have to return to Italy after the two clubs ultimately failed to reach a final agreement.
According to Bild, Schalke 04 are frustrated with Napoli, who allegedly failed to honour verbal agreements and promises made regarding the structure of the deal.
The report claims that Schalke wanted a purchase option included in the loan agreement, while Napoli insisted on a mandatory buy clause. Since the Bundesliga club was unwilling to accept such an obligation, the transfer has now fallen through.

#bild #proposed #failed

Ipswich Town are reportedly interested in RC Strasbourg Alsace player Julio Enciso (22), according to information from Sky Sports.
Having previously played for the Tractor Boys, where he was on loan from Brighton & Hove Albion during the second half of the 2024–25 season (13 matches, two goals, three **** ists), the Paraguayan could now make a return to Portman Road, where Gary O'Neil, recently appointed as manager, is keen to secure his services after working alongside him in Alsace.
Since arriving in France last summer, Enciso has put in solid performances for Strasbourg, making 42 appearances and proving decisive on 21 occasions (12 goals, nine **** ists) across all competitions.
Also part of Paraguay's World Cup squad, the Caaguazú-born player played a major part in his national team's impressive run to the round of 16, notably helping to knock Germany out of the competition.
Under contract with RCSA until 2030, Enciso is currently valued at €25m by the specialist website Transfermarkt.

#goals

Virtually all German footballing media sources are currently reporting that Jesper Lindstrøm's transfer to newly promoted Bundesliga outfit FC Schalke 04 is close to being finalized. Reports from Italy and Germany now suggest that negotiations are at an advanced stage, with Lindstrøm already having reached a basic agreement with die Königsblauen.
Schalke have been working to bring the 26-year-old back to the Bundesliga following his disappointing season with relegated Wolfsburg. Napoli initially hoped to sell the Denmark international and recover part of the approximately €30 million invested in his 2023 transfer from Frankfurt.
What price Schalke will pay for the 18-times-capped international should prove interesting.
Lindstrøm's estimated market value in the Transfermarkt listings has collapsed since his successful Frankfurt spell. Valued at €28 million before leaving the Bundesliga, the winger arrived at Wolfsburg last summer with an €18 million valuation.
Following an injury-plagued campaign in which he made only four starts, Lindstrøm is now valued at €4 million—a decline of almost 78 percent in one year. The Dane made another 11 appearances off the bench, including both relegation-playoff fixtures against Paderborn.

#lindstr #schalke #valued

Southampton's Brazilian forward Leo Scienza, 27, says he expects talks with the club about his future and is "open to possibilities". (Transfermarkt - in German)
Want more transfer news from the EFL? Take a look at Tuesday's gossip column here.
[BBC]

#take

Nürnberg city council agreed to the rebuilding of the Max-Morlock-Stadium in their meeting on Wednesday afternoon. The municipal representatives unanimously instructed the administration to pursue the plan to demolish and rebuild part of the historic stadium.
The goal is set to extend the spectator seats from 36,000 to 50,000 for league games. The stadium will have 40,000 visitors for international matches with the new goal. According to the initial plan, the reconstruction will be completed for the start of the 2031/32 season.
The 2. Bundesliga side need to find a temporary home during the reconstruction work. Nürnberg have called Max-Morlock-Stadium home since 1963 as they celebrated their only Bundesliga **** le there in 1968.
The Bavarians compete in 2. Bundesliga since their latest Bundesliga relegation in 2019. According to Transfermarkt, Miroslav Klose's side had an average attendance of 35,180 during the 2025/26 season. The stadium also hosted several games of the Germany women's national team this year.

#stadium #bundesliga #rnberg #goal

Bosnian online portal Faktor – as relayed by transfermarkt.de – reports that Chelsea are in pole position to acquire Bayer Leverkusen attacking prospect Kerim Alajbegovic.
Kicker also lends credence to a report initially surfacing in Britain’s Telegraph concerning the youngster’s next possible destination. The German publication even claims the 18-year-old has already lodged a transfer request.
As noted in a recent Get German Football News piece on Alajbegovic, Leverkusen have no qualms about selling the youngster despite the fact that he was only recently re-acquired from RB Salzburg.
Matters could proceed quickly in this case.
Leverkusen originally sold the Köln-native to Red Bull Salzburg for approximately €2m in July 2025. The arrangement allowed the Bundesliga club to retain control over his future through a buyback clause. Alajbegovic subsequently enjoyed an excellent breakthrough year in Austria and represented Bosnia and Herzegovina at the World Cup.

#alajbegovic #german #youngster #bayer

Sport Bild reports that new Hoffenheim acquisition Nathan De Cat possesses an expensive release clause in his freshly signed contract. The 18-year-old talent already maintains an estimated €27m value in the latest Transfermarkt listings. In his new working papers – valid until 2031 – it is anticipated that the teenager’s market value will continue to rise exponentially.
Sport Bild claims that De Cat may potentially leave Hoffenheim one day via a €70m release clause. The former Anderlecht professional’s estimated market value stood at €7m less than a year ago. His rapid rise reflects both his development in Belgium and the considerable expectations attached to his Bundesliga move.
Should the young defensive midfielder perform well in Germany, interest from wealthier European clubs will inevitably follow. Hoffenheim have nevertheless protected themselves against losing another valuable prospect for a modest fee.
An expensive departure as early as next summer could therefore become a realistic possibility if De Cat adapts quickly and establishes himself as a regular starter.
GGFN | Peter Weis

#expensive #clause #year

The 2026 FIFA World Cup has come to an end, but its impact continues to be felt in the transfer market.
Following the latest Transfermarkt update, several Barcelona players have seen their market values rise after impressive performances during the tournament.
At the top of the list remains Lamine Yamal, who continues to share the ***** le of the world's most valuable footballer.
Before the World Cup, the Barcelona winger was valued at €200 million. Following Spain's successful campaign, his market value has increased by €20 million, taking him to €220 million.
He remains level with Erling Haaland, who also received a €20 million increase, leaving the two stars tied as the most valuable players in world football according to Transfermarkt.

#following #Barcelona #valuable

After Liverpool were linked with a move for Mainz midfielder Kaishu Sano by **** anese outlet Nikkan Sports towards the end of last month, Sport Bild are now also reporting on the interest.
An article in Wednesday's edition of the German magazine states that Sano is expected to leave Mainz this summer and that Liverpool are willing to pay €60 million for the defensive midfielder.
Such a deal would make Sano by far the most expensive departure in Mainz's history, with the current record held by Brajan Gruda, who was sold to Brighton & Hove Albion for €31.5 million in 2024.
Sano's market value was estimated at €40 million by Transfermarkt in May and has since risen further following his impressive performances for **** an at the World Cup.
Mainz paid just €2.5 million to sign the midfielder from Kashima Antlers in 2024.

When Kylian Mbappé and Lamine Yamal lead their sides out at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas, on Tuesday evening, they will be doing more than chasing a place in Sunday's final, they will be fronting the priciest collection of talent ever ****** embled for a men's World Cup semi-final.
Transfermarkt's latest figures value France's squad at roughly $1.78 billion (€1.56bn) and Spain's at $1.43 billion (€1.25bn), a combined total of around $3.2 billion (€2.8bn), which outstrips any previous last-four meeting in the tournament's history.
Much of that financial weight is concentrated in a handful of individuals.
Barcelona's Yamal, who turned 19 the day before kick-off, is the most expensive player left in the competition at around $234 million (€205m), with Mbappé close behind at roughly $211 million (€185m).
Michael Olise and Pedri follow, both valued at around $176 million (€154m).

Manchester United forward Marcus Rashford’s struggles at the FIFA World Cup could have a bearing on his future this summer. The Englishman is surplus to requirements at Old Trafford and INEOS are looking to cash in on him to fund a busy transfer window.
Rashford spent last season on loan at Barcelona, where he registered 14 goals and 14 ***** ists in 49 games to help them win LaLiga and the Supercopa de Espana. The Premier League giants expected the Catalans to trigger the €30 million purchase option in the player’s contract, but that has not happened. Instead, Barcelona have signed Anthony Gordon from Newcastle United to strengthen their attack.
Source: Transfermarkt.
There has been interest in the 28 year old from the Premier League as well, with ***** nal and Tottenham Hotspur reportedly considering a move. Recent reports suggest that United are willing to reintegrate the player into their pre-season squad, but a sale remains a lucrative prospect given his academy status.
The Red Devils were hoping that a strong World Cup campaign could ignite a bidding war for Rashford this summer. Unfortunately, things have not gone according to plan.

Manchester United have a rich history of developing talented young players and promoting them to their first-team squad. All signs indicate that they have another gem knocking on the door of the senior team at the moment.
JJ Gabriel has earned rave reviews with his performances for the Under-18 team last season, and is already being tipped for a great future ahead. The 15 year old attacking midfielder, who is also comfortable across the front line, has already trained with the senior side on several occasions during the last campaign.
Gabriel was a regular for the Under-18 side last season, finishing the campaign with 26 goals and four ******* ists in 29 appearances. He was subsequently adjudged the Under-18 Premier League Player of the Season, and also won the Jimmy Murphy Young Player of the Year award.
Source: Transfermarkt.
The teenager has already earned admirers at clubs across the continent, but it now appears that the Premier League giants are ready to go to battle to keep hold of their rising star.

Michael Olise. A name Bayern Munich fans adore.
A name the French adore. A name every fan of the France football team adores. A name the footballing world admires.
PSG and France star winger Désiré Doué, a phenom in his own right, is the latest to join a long list of admirers of the Bayern Munich winger. Olise has had an unprecedented season, and according to Transfermarkt's statistics, already has the record for most ***** ists in a single season EVER, surpassing Messi's peak season. He has 31 ***** ists across all competitions for Bayern Munich and 6 ***** ists for France (5 in the World Cup, 1 in a friendly), taking his tally to a mind-numbing 37 (!!!!!) ***** ists in a single season.
AND HE ISN'T DONE YET.
In a recent interview with Sky Germany's Kerry Hau (as captured by iMiaSanMia), Désiré Doué expressed his admiration for Michael Olise: "He's an exceptional player – you can see that in every single match. He currently has the most ***** ists at the World Cup, which is truly remarkable."

FC Kaiserslautern have officially released Faride Alidou from his contract, thus enabling his transfer to Holstein Kiel.
The Storks have signed the 24-year-old to a one-year contract until 2027 with an option to extend for a further year.
Alidou spent half of last season on loan at Eintracht Braunschweig, where he played 9 games in the 2.Bundesliga, scoring twice.
Now, the former German U-21 international is permanently leaving the Red Devils in favour of the Northern Germany outfit.
The Hamburg native, valued at €800,000 by Transfermarkt.com, has played 55 games in Germany's second division for three clubs.