105 updates in Liga MX
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Ahead of Major League Soccer’s market value update on April 7, Transfermarkt has updated the 105 players from North America’s other major league, Liga MX. At the top is a new most valuable player: 22-year-old Chivas striker Armando González.
González pushes Tijuana prodigy Gilberto Mora and América’s Raphaël Veiga (remaining at €10m) from the top of the rankings. Meanwhile, US national team striker Álex Zendejas (América) and Canadian debutant Marcelo Flores (Tigres UANL) are seeing significant increases in value.
“Armando González is at the top with one of the biggest jumps, going from 7 million to 15 million euros,” says Osvaldo González Camacho, Transfermarkt Area Manager for Mexico. “The 22-year-old striker quickly converted his potential into performance, became Liga MX’s top scorer in the Apertura 2025 and has already scored nine goals in eleven games in this Clausura – numbers.” The result is a remarkable increase in market value of 114.3 percent.
González isn’t the only player shooting up the rankings. Érik Lira from Cruz Azul saw an increase from €3 million to €12 million. “The Cruz Azul midfielder has become a reference in his position, combining defensive solidity with leadership qualities and international consistency, while attracting growing interest from European clubs,” says González Camacho.
Lira’s valuation is also boosted by a significant market for the 25-year-old six. This also applies to the currently injured Toluca midfielder Marcel Ruiz. “Before his setback, he had established himself as the driving force of the team, delivering consistent performances and even attracting offers of nearly $18 million, underscoring his importance beyond short-term availability.”
Liga MX: Lainez on the rise, Zendejas on the rise
At Tigres, former prodigy Diego Lainez is in top form. “Lainez continues its upswing, rising from 5.5 million to 6.5 million euros,” says González Camacho. “Having now fully established himself at Tigres, he is back to his best form, coupled with strong creative metrics that underline his influence in the final third.”
Lainez isn’t the only former prodigy to see a significant increase. Ex-Arsenal talent Flores, who has now decided to move to Canada, will see his market value increase by 233.3 percent from 1.2 million to 4 million euros. “At Tigres, his rhythm and influence have increased; even without outstanding goal contributions, he has become an important part of a team that reached the final last season and remains a title contender,” said Mexico expert González Camacho.
While this is good news for Canada, the US national team also has a promising player in Mexico in Álex Zendejas (CF América). “Zendejas also continues its rise and climbs from 8.5 million to 10 million euros,” says González Camacho. “He is now widely regarded as America’s standout player, and his consistency and goal output have earned him the growing confidence of Mauricio Pochettino in the national team, making him a strong candidate for the 2026 World Cup. As a goalscorer, he has an increase in value, supported by both his performance and his international appeal.”
Two former MLS stars also receive significant upgrades. At Monterrey, the market value of former Cincinnati winger Luca Orellano rises from 4.5 million to 8 million euros. “Backed by strong statistics, he has become one of the most influential signings of the transfer window,” said González Camacho. The same goes for Pumas midfielder Pedro Vite. “The Ecuadorian, who was signed for around 4.5 million US dollars plus bonuses, has already secured a regular place and shows clear growth potential at 24 years old,” said González Camacho about the former Vancouver Whitecaps professional.
This is how Transfermarkt market values work
The transfer market market values are calculated taking various valuation models into account. An important factor is the transfer market community, whose members discuss and evaluate the market values of players in detail. In general, the transfer market market values cannot be equated with transfer fees.
The goal is not to predict a price, but rather to determine the expected value of a player in a free market. Both individual transfer modalities and situational conditions are relevant for determining market values. Examples of this are listed below. Transfermarkt does not use an algorithm (you can find the detailed definition of market value here).
