And just like that, the European Championships come to a swift and bitter close, if you’re an English fan, that is.
The Three Lions managed to bundle themselves into the final on Sunday night thanks to moments of individual magic from the likes of Bukayo Saka, Jude Bellingham and Ollie Watkins, but when it came down to stopping the most in form team in Europe, they had no answers.
The only good news is that, with international football wrapped up for now, the return of the Premier League is less than a month away, and clubs can really focus on their transfer business, and Tottenham Hotspur are no different.
The Lilywhites have already signed youngster Archie Gray from Leeds United, but they have been linked with a whole host of other exciting players, including Watkins’ international teammate Eberechi Eze, although the Lilywhites shouldn’t forget that they already have someone in that position within the team, and he’s worth even more than both.
The valuations of Watkins and Eze in 2024
So, while it looked like he might never get a game in the tournament at one point, Watkins became the star of the show against the Netherlands in the semi-final as his last-minute goal was the one that put England into their second Euros final on the bounce.
He then made a more sizable cameo in the final, but as with the rest of the team, he was underwhelming at best. That said, his moment in Dortmund will remain in the memory of England fans for generations, and alongside an impressive season for Aston Villa, his valuation is starting to reflect his ability.
Following a campaign in which he scored 27 goals and provided 13 assists in 53 games for the Claret and Blue, FOTMOB has valued the Englishman at €70m, which converts to around £59m.
On the other hand, Eze has been heavily linked with a move to Spurs this summer, and following a report from the BBC back in April, it has been largely repeated that he would cost the North Londoners £60m.
It might sound steep, but after a season in which he scored 11 goals and provided six assists in just 31 games, it’s probably a fair fee in today’s game, although the club already have a star in his primary position, and he’s worth even more.
James Maddison’s valuation in 2024
Yes, the player in question is fellow Englishman James Maddison, who might not have made it onto the plane to Germany this summer but remains an incredible midfielder.
In fact, according to FOTMOB, the “incredible” dynamo, as dubbed by talent scout Jacek Kulig, is worth more than Eze and Watkins, coming in with a valuation of €75m, which converts to around £63m, or £3m more than the Palace star and £4m more than the Villa ace.
That may sound like a lot, but over the last three seasons, he has scored 32 goals and provided 30 assists in just 115 appearances, which equates to a goal involvement every 1.85 games, which is massively impressive over such a period.
He may have struggled towards the latter half of last season, but in his defence, he was coming back from injury and aside from maybe one or two players, it would be hard to pick out anyone at Spurs who played well towards the end of 2023/24.
Ultimately, Watkins is an unreal player, and Eze would be an incredible addition, but Ange Postecoglou and Co shouldn’t forget that in Maddison, they already have an elite attacking midfielder and one who’s worth even more.
