Santa Cruz continues at 40
Transfermarkt has completely revised the market values of the Paraguayan Primera División, in which the Apertura is about to be completed. The biggest winner is unsurprisingly the already most valuable player in the league: Julio Enciso from leaders Club Libertad Asunción. The just 18-year-old offensive all-rounder doubles his market value to 11 million euros and thus sets a record for the young league history on Transfermarkt.
In all likelihood, Enciso will soon join the English first division club Brighton & Hove Albion in this transfer area – this was confirmed by the President of the “Gumarelo”, Rubén di Tore, in the Paraguayan media. It will be the most expensive transfer in Paraguayan football. The deal was supposed to be completed in winter, but fell through on the home stretch. Enciso then extended and dominated the field at will until his serious facial injury in May: In 14 league games he scored 11 goals and three assists – including direct corners and free-kicks.
There were also upgrades beyond Enciso, especially for the league’s greatest hopes for youngsters. Clausura champion Cerro Porteño’s Alexis Duarte added another €500,000 to €4m after being one of the strongest centre-backs in the Copa Libertadores group stage. The 22-year-old has been linked in the past with a move to the MLS and Mexico, among other things.
There were no changes for the big icons of Paraguay, Roque Santa Cruz (40) and Óscar Cardozo (39), whose market values are frozen at 250,000 and 200,000 euros respectively. The strikers have been playing for the same team for the first time since the ex-Bayern changed in January, with Santa Cruz making more appearances, also because his long-time teammate was often injured. He has already scored seven goals in the Apertura, one in the Copa Libertadores. His contract runs until the end of the year.
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