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Study reveals Man City paid £25m too much for Riyad Mahrez and Chelsea should’ve got £20m MORE for Thibaut Courtois

A CIES Football Observatory investigation valued some of world football's stars as they made big-money transfers this summer to see if clubs were getting their money's worth or paying over the odds

By Sun Sport writers
10th September 2018, 9:26 pm
Updated: 11th September 2018, 8:15 am

Man City paid £25million too MUCH for winger Riyad Mahrez this summer, according to a new study.

It also suggested Chelsea were also hard done by in their transfer business with the club losing out in their deals for both Kepa Arrizabalaga and Thibaut Courtois.

Manchester City paid £25million too much for Algerian winger Riyad Mahrez, according to the CIES Football Observatory’s study
Getty Images - Getty
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Manchester City paid £25million too much for Algerian winger Riyad Mahrez, according to the CIES Football Observatory’s study

According to the study, Chelsea were ripped off by Real Madrid in the sale of Thibaut Courtois
Getty - Contributor
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According to the study, Chelsea were ripped off by Real Madrid in the sale of Thibaut Courtois

The CIES Football Observatory revealed the club-record £60m City forked out to bring Mahrez to the Etihad from Leicester was well over his market value.

The Algerian made 36 Premier League appearances for the Foxes in 2017-18, notching up 12 goals and ten assists.

Only Mahrez, Mohamed Salah, Christian Eriksen and Manchester City pair Leroy Sane and Raheem Sterling reached double figures for both last term.

But the study valued his £60m price tag £25m above his actual value, around £35m.

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City paid a club-record fee of £60m for the Leicester star but apparently that was way over his £35m estimated value
PA:Press Association
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City paid a club-record fee of £60m for the Leicester star but apparently that was way over his £35m estimated value

Mahrez was one of just five players to get into double figures for goals and assists in the Premier League last season
PA:Press Association
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Mahrez was one of just five players to get into double figures for goals and assists in the Premier League last season

Chelsea received just £38m from Real Madrid for goalkeeper Courtois who went AWOL from the club after the World Cup.

This was valued at the best saving for a buying club, who according to CIES Football Observatory paid £20m less than what they should have done.

And while Courtois was the worst-priced sale in the transfer window, Arrizabalaga was the worst-priced purchase.

The study believes that the Blues paid a whopping £40m too much for the Spanish stopper, who was brought into Stamford Bridge for £71.6m from Athletic Bilbao.

Courtois was valued at £58m, £20m more than what Los Blancos paid for the goalkeeper
Getty Images - Getty
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Courtois was valued at £58m, £20m more than what Los Blancos paid for the goalkeeper

Chelsea replaced Courtois with Kepa Arrizabalaga for £71.6m but he was worth just £30m
Reuters
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Chelsea replaced Courtois with Kepa Arrizabalaga for £71.6m but he was worth just £30m

Among the other notable good pieces of business by buying clubs, Arsenal paid less than the estimated value for Lucas Torreira.

The Gunners parted with £27m to sign the Uruguayan but should have paid an extra £10m while Juventus should splashed out £103m on Cristiano Ronaldo, not £99m.

Liverpool did some of the best business, spending less on Fabinho and Alisson than expected but it’s bad news for Everton and West Ham.

The Toffees are thought to have overspent on Yerry Mina and Richarlison while the Hammers did likewise for Felipe Anderson and Issa Diop, their two record signings.

It is good news for Arsenal fans, as the Gunners paid a cut-price fee for Lucas Torreira
Getty - Contributor
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It is good news for Arsenal fans, as the Gunners paid a cut-price fee for Lucas Torreira

The then-world record fee Liverpool paid for Alisson, £67m, was another good piece of business for the Reds
Getty Images - Getty
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The then-world record fee Liverpool paid for Alisson, £67m, was another good piece of business for the Reds

Despite paying £99m, Juventus got Cristiano Ronaldo for less than the studys valuation of £103m
Getty - Contributor
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Despite paying £99m, Juventus got Cristiano Ronaldo for less than the studys valuation of £103m

The £41m West Ham paid for Felipe Anderson was not only a club record but also more than his market value
Getty - Contributor
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The £41m West Ham paid for Felipe Anderson was not only a club record but also more than his market value

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