Player value will fall by 18 per cent post-COVID, says KPMG sports head

This is a Wednesday, July 29, 2015 file photo of Manchester United's goalkeeper David de Gea as he warms up before an International Champions Cup soccer match against Paris Saint-Germain in Chicago. In a surreal ending to the Monday Aug. 31, 2015 transfer window in Spain, the much-anticipated move of Manchester United goalkeeper David de Gea to Real Madrid never materialized. The clubs reportedly struck a deal, but the expected announcement never came, apparently because the paperwork wasn't submitted on time. (AP Photo/Kamil Krzaczynski, File)

The suspension of soccer leagues across Europe due to the COVID-19 pandemic will see overall player value drop by 6.6 billion euros ($7.5 billion), or about 18%, in the transfer market, KPMG’s global head of sports Andrea Sartori said.

The majority of leagues have resumed or are in the process of restarting their seasons behind closed doors before the transfer window reopens, with clubs still reeling from the financial impact of the months-long shutdown.