RANKED: The 21 most valuable soccer players in Europe right now

A prominent research group in Switzerland has put together a list of "estimated transfer values" for the most expensive footballers in Europe - and the veteran striker Cristiano Ronaldo barely makes the list.

The FC Barcelona forward Lionel Messi has also been kicked out of the top five, as younger players continue to replace two of soccer's most established superstars.

Football think tank CIES Football Observatory adopts a "scientific perspective" to its methodology, taking into consideration six factors when putting a price on the head of Europe's top players:

1. Player performance: The quality and consistency of their form
2. Player performance in relation to their club: Are they the star player?
3. International status: How established are they for their country?
4. Contract: Players with longer deals are more expensive
5. Age: Younger players command higher fees
6. Position: Goal scorers are more expensive than goalkeepers

Without further ado, here are the 21 most valuable footballers in England's Premier League, Spain's La Liga, Germany's Bundesliga, Italy's Serie A, and France's Ligue 1, ranked in ascending order.

Read all of Business Insider's coverage for the 2018-2019 world soccer season here.