England Under-21s: Is this the most exciting and valuable generation yet?

According to the website Football Transfers’ ‘Estimated Transfer Value’ algorithm, the current Under-21 squad is valued at £516.9m, almost double that of the group who won Euro 2023 (£280m at the start of that tournament).

Champions League, Premier League and full international appearances, along with current contract status at club level, all contribute to the ETV rating that Football Transfers give to a player – and it is different to the market value players may be sold and bought for.

The worth of the current team is boosted by many playing prominent roles at big clubs in the Premier League and across Europe.

For example, the top three players with the highest values: Borussia Dortmund’s Jamie Gittens (£59.7m), Manchester City’s Rico Lewis (£53.6m) and Liverpool’s Harvey Elliott (£40.2m).

Crystal Palace midfielder Adam Wharton, 21, bucks that trend slightly, coming in as the fourth-most expensive player at £40.1m – but being part of the senior squad at Euro 2024 has significantly helped his value.

Another big hitter, Arsenal’s Ethan Nwaneri, is valued slightly lower at £28.2m because of his limited appearances and shorter contract status – but has a value that is expected to grow rapidly.

It’s worth noting that, the overall value of the Euro 2023 team has risen hugely, going from £280m in 2023 to £626m in 2025.

Should this current 2025 squad see such a percentage increase, we will be looking at a set of young England players with a combined value of well over £1bn.