In the Ghana Premier League (GPL) this season, a plethora of players have made their marks with brilliant performances on a consistent basis.

Some of those players have experienced a boost in their respective market values whilst others have seen a decline.

Despite his huge price tag, Asamoah Gyan misses out on the list due to his inactivity since joining Legon Cities.

As the first round of the league concludes, Joy Sports takes a look at the most valuable XI in the league this season.

Methodology

In attaining the values of players in the GPL, Joy Sports looked at values provided by Transfermarkt. The website uses a number of factors like age, form and others to determine values.

The 4-2-3-1 formation was deemed the best fit for the XI considering the large number of talented midfielders this season.

This system requires a goalkeeper, two centre-backs, two full-backs, a defensive midfielder, an attacking midfielder, two wingers and a centre forward.

Some positions were easily filled with players of the highest value whilst others had multiple candidates. In such cases, the use of basic statistics and how those numbers help their team served as the tiebreaker.

It is interesting to note that no player in the competition was valued higher than €125,000 (GHS 862,682.85) by Transfermarkt.

Notable Exclusions

Gyan was a popular figure who was left out of the list. The former Sunderland man has experienced a huge dip in value since joining the Royals before the start of the season.

At 35 years, Gyan has had little game time due to fitness issues, causing a drop in his value to €100,000 (GHS 690,328.85). That figure is below the centre forward pick who is valued at €125,000 (GHS 862,682.85).

Joseph Esso, Yahaya Mohammed, Hans Kwofie, Diawisie Taylor and Kwame Peprah have been impressive this season but fall short of the mark.

Esso, Mohammed, Kwofie and Taylor are valued at €75,000 (GHS 517,705.30), €75,000 (GHS 517,705.30), €50,000 (GHS 345,136.87) and €100,000 (GHS 690,328.85) respectively; lower than the pick for the most valuable striker.

Kwame Peprah ticks the box in value. However, he narrowly misses out. Despite scoring eight goals, his team, King Faisal, are one place above bottom side Inter Allies.

Prince Adu Kwabena also makes the cut in value but has experienced little success in front of goal. He has netted once this campaign, a huge fall in his output compared to last season.

Yaw Annor, a right-winger for AshantiGold, has been an exciting prospect this season. However, his value of €100,000 (GHS 690,328.85) is lower than the chosen option for his position.

On the defensive end, Hearts of Oak duo Richard Attah and Raddy Ovouka missed out due to fewer goal contributions and clean sheets. Medeama goalkeeper, Eric Ofori Antwi, also had lower clean sheets than Joy Sports’ pick.

The Chosen Ones

Razak Abalora has been Kotoko’s main man between the sticks and the pick for starting goalkeeper. The former Azam FC shot-stopper has conceded just three goals in 10 matches this campaign. He has also recorded more clean sheets (7) than Attah (4) and Ofori Antwi (6).

At right-back, Kwadwo Amoako of AshantiGold makes the cut without any contention as he has the highest value in that position (GHS 862,682.85). The 22-year-old has proven capable in the last two seasons and has earned call ups to the Black Stars in the last 12 months.

Hearts of Oak defender Nuru Sulley and Kotoko’s Habib Mohammed form an alliance at the back despite being arch-rivals. The two centre-backs are valued at €125,000 (GHS 862,682.85) each; no other central defender in the league matches that value.

On the left, Kotoko’s Imoro Ibrahim topples Ovouka. Despite having the same values, Imoro has netted two goals whilst Ovouka is yet to register a goal. Ibrahim has also recorded seven clean sheets compared to Ovouka’s six despite playing less games than his Hearts of Oak counterpart.

Justice Blay’s spot at defensive midfield was never in doubt. The former Kotoko man has the highest value in the position (GHS 862,682.85) and has been one of the best local players in the last two seasons.

Gladson Awako, who is valued at €100,000 (GHS 690,328.85), takes the central midfield spot despite multiple competitors. The 30-year-old earned four man of the match awards in his first six league games, subsequently taking home the player of the month award for December. The Great Olympics talisman has netted four goals this campaign with three assists to add.

AshantiGold midfielder, David Abagna Sandan, has been a revelation this campaign. The 22-year-old has netted five goals and assisted thrice in 15 matches. With the ability to play in central midfield as well, his value of €125,000 (GHS 862,682.85) leaves little room for doubt about his inclusion.

New Hearts of Oak winger Salifu Ibrahim makes the team with a value of GHS 862,682.85. The former Eleven Wonders man has a goal to his name as well as four assists in his first 11 league games. He earned five man of the match awards during that period and was a strong candidate for the Player of the Month of December.

WAFA’s Augustine Boakye has taken the league by storm this season and earns the left wing spot despite having the same value (GHS 690,328.85) as other highly rated players. In 10 matches played, the left-footed playmaker found the net on four occasions and added an astonishing nine assists.

To spearhead the attack, Joy Sports went for Kotoko’s Kwame Opoku. The 20-year-old has scored seven goals so far which makes up 58% of his team’s tally this campaign. Due to his stellar form, the Porcupines are 6th and can go top if they win their two games in hand.