Neymar, Sancho and Lukaku - Which players lost the most market value in 2023?

As is often the case in football, a lot can change over the course of 12 months as heroes fall and new stars arise from relative obscurity. As we revealed in our recent article on the biggest market value winners of 2023, there are a number of young talents elbowing their way to the top of the pile in a bid to be European football’s next big star. Unfortunately, with every rise there must also be a fall and 2023 saw a number of the sport’s biggest names see their market values take a nosedive. 

The biggest market value losers in 2023

Neymar - Al-Hilal - €30m decrease 

Neymar made the move to Al-Hilal in the summer for a remarkable sum of €90m in a transfer that rivalled even Cristiano Ronaldo’s high-profile arrival in Saudi Arabia. However, unlike his Portuguese counterpart, Neymar has struggled to show his worth on the pitch. Following a forgettable season at Paris Saint-Germain, the Brazil international picked up a serious ligament injury upon arrival at Al-Hilal and has so far made just five appearances for his new club. As such, his market value dropped dramatically over the course of the 12 months. 

Wesley Fofana - Chelsea - €33m decrease 

Many suspected Wesley Fofana would be the answer to all of Chelsea’s defensive issues when he joined the club from Leicester in 2022 for €80.4m. However, poor form and a horrible injury in July of 2023 which has so far ruled him out of 24 games for the Stamford Bridge side have seen the France international’s market value fall rather dramatically in 2023. Perhaps 2024 can be the year that the young defender gets back on his feet and shows what he can do at the London club.

Jadon Sancho - Man United - €35m decrease 

Few footballers have had as dramatic a fall from grace in recent years as Man United winger Jadon Sancho, who remains a peripheral figure in Erik Ten Hag’s squad this season. After a rather public spat with his under-pressure manager and successive seasons of poor form, Sancho is more likely to leave the club in January than to soar back to previous heights. As such, his market value plummeted in 2023. 

Sadio Mané - Al-Nassr - €40m decrease 

After a disastrous spell at Bayern Munich, which saw the Senegal forward bag just 12 goals and six assists in 38 games for the German side, Sadio Mané opted to depart from the bright lights of European football to join Al-Nassr in the summer for a fee of €30m. While the forward has done perfectly well at his new club, his diminishing form in Germany and his age have played a big role in his market value decreasing in 2023. 

Antony - Man United - €40m decrease 

Joint top of this unenviable table is none other than Man United winger Antony, who has continued to struggle at the Premier League club since he made the move to Old Trafford in August of 2022 for a remarkable sum of €95m. Since then, the Brazil international has managed just eight goals and three assists in 64 games and continues to be considered a relative flop in Ten Hag’s side.