Market values Mexico: Toluca's Araújo the big winner - Tigres UANL drop in squad value

Transfermarkt has updated the market values of Mexico’s Liga MX. Maximiliano Araújo from Deportivo Toluca is the biggest winner, with a 75% increase in market value. Araújo’s market value increased from €4 million to €7m. 

The Uruguayan has contributed to nine goals in the last 12 games and is a big reason that his team is currently in the top four of the standings. “The 23-year-old has been a key player since joining Toluca from Puebla last January for €5.6 million,” Area Manager Mexico Eduardo Hernández said. Araújo aside, Monterrey defender Victor Guzmán also stood out. The defender increased his market value from €3m to €5m and is in high demand among European clubs. Other players that saw their market value increase were Santos Laguna’s Juan Brunetta (+€2m to €5.5m), América’s Álvaro Fidalgo (+€1m to €7m), Chiva’s Jesús Orozco (+€1.5m to €4m) and Monterrey’s Arturo González (+€1m to €7m). 

At league champions Pachuca top goalscorer Javier Eduardo López made a big jump forward. Chofis has scored six goals and two assists and is a crucial playmaker in the system of the blue and whites. His market value increased from €3.5m to €5m. López’s teammate Mauricio Isais is also a big winner. “The 21-year-old has both a Mexican and US passport and is on the verge of making his debut for one of those two countries,” Hernandez said. 

Tigres UANL, in the meantime, used to have the second most valuable squad in the league. But Nicolás López (-€3m to €4m), Guido Pizarro (-€1m to €2m), and Juan Pablo Vigón (-€500,000 to €1.5m) saw their market values decrease and Tigres have, therefore, dropped to third. 

How Transfermarkt market values work

The Transfermarkt market values are calculated, taking into account various pricing models. A major factor is the Transfermarkt community, whose members discuss and evaluate player market values in detail. In general, the Transfermarkt market values are not to be equated with transfer fees. 

The goal is not to predict a price but an expected value of a player in a free market. Both individual transfer modalities and situational conditions are relevant in determining market values. Examples of this are listed below. Transfermarkt does not use an algorithm (you can find the detailed market value definition here).