Julien Duranville, the seventh most expensive 16-year-old player in history
The Anderlecht youngster moved to Borussia Dortmund at the end of last week. He will replenish Brussels’ cash-strapped coffers and become the sixth player to wear the shirt of the Kingdom of Belgium. Schwarz-Gelben. As we will see, big transfers at a young age are not necessarily a guarantee of success.
For now, his name does not appear in Borussia Dortmund’s professional squad, but according to his new coach, that will be only for a few weeks. Edin Terzic. A victim of a minor muscle tear over Christmas, Julien Duranville he will have to be patient before wearing the shirt of his new club. “He’s still in full recovery, which means he’ll be with us fully within two or three weeks.“, says Terzic. “The plan is clear. He will train with the main team and play with the main team. As with all young players, it makes no sense not to give them playing time.” said the BVB technician.
The transfer of Julien Duranville has obviously caused a lot of debate, given that it has raised some questions about the management of young talent at Anderlecht. The 16-year-old, who played just 10 professional games for Anderlecht, not counting the four games he played in the Challenger Pro League with the U23s, should bring in an estimated €11m to €13m depending on various bonuses. Anderlecht should in any case receive 8.5 million directly, which is quite a large amount for such a young player.
Two flops and a huge success on the podium
But is Duranville the most expensive teenager in history? The answer is no. But as a native of Uccle Vincent Kompany, is well within the top 10, sixth to be exact. The leader of this particular rating is not a great achievement. In the 2017-18 season, AS Monaco suffered a buying spree and signed a check of around €21 million to secure his services. Pietro Pellegri. The Genoa player would play just 23 minor league games and score just two goals before being sold for just €5m last summer, four times less than Torino… He was valued at €8m when he arrived. also fell to 5.
The second is the madness of the Rock club, who decided to play with Chelsea in 2022-23, buying maximum young talents in the wind. The talent seen on Lyon’s side, Willem Geubbels He was fired from the Rhone club by Monaco for 20 million euros, and his market value is estimated at only 6. At the age of 21, he finally played only 17 games for a single goal scored in favor of ‘ASM’. On loan to Nantes last year (26 appearances, 3 goals), he was tipped as a possible starter for Charleroi in January. The winger eventually opted to join St.Gallen. A transfer that will bring nothing to Monaco, the player’s market value has dropped to 2.5 million euros.
The third most expensive 16-year-old in history, on the other hand, is a real achievement. Grab Pedri At Las Palmas, Barça are extending a €17.5m extension through the 2019-20 season, but will first allow the new recruit to mature in the team’s front office for a further six months. league. During the next training session, the central midfielder quickly became a safe bet in the eleven the blaugrana and is hosted by Spain’s selection for the Euros and World Cup. He was even named the best hope of the tournament in the first. Under the colors of FC Barcelona, he reached the peak of 100 games and found the net 15 times. Already declared successorAndres Iniesta is already worth 100 million euros. A true hit for a Barça, often uninspired in his recruitment in recent years.
We find it right next to the podium Theo Walcott. Now, at the age of 33, he has returned to the club where it all started: Southampton. In the summer of 2006, Arsenal spent 10.5 million on the teenager, who caused huge interest across the Channel. His market cap is only 2.5 million and he will be a success for this company overall Gunners, even if he doesn’t always play the leading roles as expected. However, he would stay in London for 12 years, attending 397 meetings. He would also make 108 appearances. In May 2006, he was chosen by the English coach Sven-Goran Eriksson when you don’t even play for a minute Premier LeagueWalcott will wear a tunic Three Lions 47 times, 8 goals. On January 17, 2018, five years ago, his adventure in North London came to an end. Walcott moves to Everton for 22.5 million euros despite his market value of 20. Even if the market prices have changed a lot since the summer of 2006, the teenager’s projectile will ultimately be very positive for Arsenal. Very long-term investment can be interesting, even in football.
Adeyemi, a teenager who cost Salzburg more than Haaland
The 16-year-old right winger is a product sought after by the most daring recruits. Another example is Karim Adeyemi. The youngster from Munich, who came through Bayern’s youth academy, had to seek his happiness in another, more modest Bavarian club: Unterhaching. Although he has only developed within the German 3rd division resident’s age categories, RB Salzburg decide to sign a €10.1 million check for this promising winger. The Austrians aren’t the richest in European football, but they are offering the fifth most expensive transfer in their history with a teenager who hasn’t played a single minute with the pros. The German even cost two million more than it was supposed to Erling Haaland.
However, the bet wins. Adeyemi quickly established himself in the team and after a loan spell at Liefering (35 matches and 15 goals) returned to Mozart through the front door, where he scored 19 times in 27 matches. Bundesliga Austrian last season. Not to mention the four successes he won in European Cups. Although his value is estimated at 35 million euros, he was sold last summer to Borussia Dortmund, who have already become accustomed to the prices of their Salzburg friends since the arrival of Haaland. Karim Adeyemi’s bet was risky at first, but it was worth it. Since then, it has even been included in the group Mannschaft in the last world championship.
Duranville between Hannibal Mejbri and Anderson
Therefore, Julien Duranville reached the 7th place ahead of the Tunisian in this ranking. Hannibal Mejbri. Rival of hair Wout Faes In August 2019, despite having a market value of €0, he left the Monaco academy for €10 million to Manchester United. Now the total has risen to 6 million, and the player, a resident of Birmingham, has been leased Championship. The Tunisian is trying to gain experience there before playing more regularly Red devils wore his jersey only three times in his young career. He has already played in the last World Cup with Tunisia and United will no doubt look to Theo Walcott’s example in showing patience with a player who could bring them big money in a few years time.
Behind Duranville we find another Old Trafford player, even though his move from Gremio to FC Porto earned him 8th place in this ranking. In 2004-05, the Brazilian Anderson became the most expensive teenager in the history of football at that time with a purchase price of 8 million euros. Now retired, he would go on to win two Portuguese titles and one Cup before moving to England for €31.5m, where his rating had risen to 25. If his move to the Theater of Dreams didn’t last forever, FC Porto won his bet.
Pro League player Antonio Nusa in the top 20
Note that the player Pro League it is in 19th place in this ranking. He actually spent 3 million euros to offer the services of FC BrugesAntonio Nusa, while its market value in Stabaek was €400,000. If he is not already part of the Blauw en Zwart leaders, the winger has already written his club’s history twice. First of all, being the youngest goalscorer in the Club’s history at 17 years and 21 days. He then became the youngest player in Champions League history to score in his first game. He was 17 years and 189 days old when he planted one of the four roses blauw en zwart FC Porto in the garden.
As we have seen, a huge transfer fee for a teenager is not always a guarantee of success. But in the end, many of these teenage prodigies justified their club’s investment. Julien Duranville will no doubt be able to rely on the experience of new team-mate Karim Adeyemi to chart his course in the shadow of the Yellow Wall.
Ucclois also becomes the sixth Belgian to wear the tunic Schwarz-Gelben after Adnan Yanuzay, Mishi Batshuayi, Axel Witsel, Torgan Hazard and Thomas Miller. Above all, his club hopes that his new recruit will behave well Jadon Sancho in his days. The English winger, who no longer plays a leading role at Manchester United, was a bit older (17) when he arrived from Manchester City’s age group for €20 million. Its market value, like Duranville, was estimated at 5 million and was sold to a training club neighbor for 85.
