# South American U-21 player market valuations

> Live situation record from CLSTR: https://clstr.news/situations/south-american-u-21-player-market-valuations
> Updated: 2026-09-24T20:38:13.000Z. Sources: 5. Developments: 2.

A study by the CIES Football Observatory has identified the most valuable South American players in the under-21 category. Argentine midfielder Álvaro Montoro of Botafogo leads the ranking with an estimated market value of R$ 220 million (€37.4 million).

Brazilian clubs feature prominently in the top ten. Following Montoro, Ecuadorian winger Keny Arroyo of Cruzeiro holds the second position with a valuation of R$ 181 million. Other notable players include Athletico-PR's Arthur Dias in fourth place (R$ 101.53 million) and Botafogo's Huguinho in fifth (R$ 100.9 million). Botafogo also maintains a strong presence with Panamanian attacker Kadir in eighth place. The total market value of the players highlighted in the study exceeds R$ 1 billion. In light of his rising value, Botafogo recently announced a contract extension for Montoro through December 2030.

## Claims

- The CIES Football Observatory released a study ranking the most valuable South American players under the age of 21. (corroborated by 3 sources)
- Álvaro Montoro, a 19-year-old midfielder for Botafogo, is the most valuable South American player in the U-21 category. (corroborated by 3 sources)
- Álvaro Montoro has an estimated market value of approximately R$ 220 million (€37.4 million). (corroborated by 3 sources)
- Keny Arroyo from Cruzeiro is ranked second with an estimated value of R$ 181 million (€30.7 million). (corroborated by 3 sources)
- Arthur Dias of Athletico-PR is ranked fourth with a value of R$ 101.53 million. (corroborated by 2 sources)
- Huguinho of Botafogo is ranked fifth with a value of R$ 100.9 million. (corroborated by 2 sources)
- The combined market value of the top players in the ranking exceeds R$ 1 billion. (corroborated by 2 sources)
- Botafogo renewed Álvaro Montoro's contract until December 2030. (single source)

## Timeline

### 2026-09-24: Álvaro Montoro leads ranking of most valuable South American U-21 players

Botafogo's Álvaro Montoro has been named the most valuable South American U-21 player by the CIES Football Observatory, with an estimated market value of R$ 220 million.

3 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/lvaro-montoro-leads-ranking-of-most-valuable-south-american-u-21-players

### 2026-09-24: Eduardo Delmás ranked third in South American market value

Paraguayan footballer Eduardo Delmás is ranked as the third most valuable player in South America, with a market value of 6.23 million euros, according to the CIES Football Observatory.

2 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/eduardo-delms-ranked-third-in-south-american-market-value

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Cite as: South American U-21 player market valuations. CLSTR, https://clstr.news/situations/south-american-u-21-player-market-valuations