Axel Witsel

37 yrs · Defensive midfielder (also CB, CM) · Belgium
Girona FC · Laliga · Foot: right · Height: 186 cm
Risk: ModerateConfidence: MediumSample: HighDevelopment: LowContract: Data unavailable
Market value
€1.2M
Updated 7 days ago
Estimated acquisition
€350k – €1.5M
Estimated · 20–80% range
Model value
€589k – €930k
Performance-implied · estimated
Projected (24m)
€466k – €1.2M
Resale range · estimated
Potential value gap
-€950k – €580k
Model value − acquisition

Value picture

Where the market, the likely price and the model estimates sit.

Estimated acquisition€350k – €1.5M
Model value (performance-implied)€589k – €930k
Projected value (24 months)€466k – €1.2M
Dashed line: current market value (€1.2M). Bars are 20–80% model ranges; tick = median.

The model rates Axel Witsel's performance-implied value at EUR 0.6M-0.9M, above the estimated acquisition range of EUR 0.4M-1.5M. Its 24-month market value projection is EUR 0.5M-1.2M. Context-adjusted goal contributions are 1.04x the positional average in the league (2533 minutes, league coefficient 0.95). Confidence is medium: no event-level data (xG, progressive actions) is available from the current free source, and injury history is unavailable.

Acquisition note: Contract end date unavailable: range widened by 15% each side.

Bargain Index: not assigned

What drives the score. Not a black box: each component and its level.

Age above 33 (outside validated pool)

PerformanceHigh80.3th pct among MID peers (age-neutral)
AgeUnfavorable37.5 years
Acquisition costFavorableest. €806k vs market €1.2M
Expected appreciationLow-19% over ~2 years (model)
Value gapSmallweak predictor on its own
DevelopmentLow
League translationBig-five leagueleague coefficient 0.95
Tactical fitNot evaluatedRequires event/role data not available from the current free source.
RiskModerate
Data confidenceMedium

Bargain Index = percentile (among all evaluated players) of expected 2-year value relative to estimated cost. See methodology and backtests.

Market value history

Market value ≠ transfer fee ≠ acquisition cost.

Highest recorded: €40.0M

Profile vs positional peers

Percentiles among 1163 evaluated MID players with 900+ minutes.

Performance (last season, league)

Minutes
2533 (74% of available)
Goals + assists / 90
0.11
Context-adjusted G+A / 90
0.13
xG, xA, progression
Data unavailable
Defensive actions
Data unavailable
Performance percentile
80 (High)

Adjusted = shrunk toward positional baseline for small samples, corrected for team dominance over opponents, expressed relative to positional peers in the same league.

Context

League strength
0.95 (rank 2)
Team strength (Elo)
1413
Opponent strength
1506
Possession, role
Data unavailable

League strength 1.00 = average club of the big-five leagues. Elo includes continental matches.

Potential

Development
Low
Trajectory
improving
Breakout probability
Age > 23
Resale range (24m)
€466k – €1.2M

Trajectory drivers: minutes share up 49 pts; changed club; team strength down (-242 Elo); role change CB -> DM.

Historical comparables (8): median 2-year value change -64% (IQR -69% to -36%).

Risk profile

Overall: Moderate

  • ▲Age 37: resale value typically declines.
  • ⓘContract end date unavailable (or stale in source).
  • ⓘInjury history unavailable from current data source.

League translation

What happened to players who moved from this league to the big-five leagues (observed, not a forecast).

Already playing in a big-five league.

Output is relative to positional peers in each league. Movers are a selected group (clubs buy players who fit), so treat this as context, not a guarantee.

Season-by-season (domestic league)

Context-adjusted values are model outputs.

SeasonClubLeaguePosAppsMinMin shareGAG+A/90Adj. G+A/90Opp. EloTeam EloLeague str.
2025/26Girona FCLaligaDM32253374%120.110.13150614130.95
2024/25Atlético de MadridLaligaCB1484825%010.110.06148116550.95
2023/24Atlético de MadridLaligaCB35278381%200.060.05149216671.00
2022/23Atlético de MadridLaligaCB33225466%000.000.02149716560.98
2021/22Borussia DortmundBundesligaDM29194764%200.090.06146616431.05
2020/21Borussia DortmundBundesligaDM15113037%000.000.03153417031.06
2019/20Borussia DortmundBundesligaDM28224573%450.360.19150817001.06
2018/19Borussia DortmundBundesligaDM33287394%410.160.12150116831.05
2016/17AO FK Zenit Sankt-PeterburgPremier LigaCM16128648%120.210.10141616160.70
2015/16AO FK Zenit Sankt-PeterburgPremier LigaDM29247091%320.180.09144816290.79
2014/15AO FK Zenit Sankt-PeterburgPremier LigaCM28230385%410.200.12144416630.88
2013/14AO FK Zenit Sankt-PeterburgPremier LigaDM30257695%430.240.15145816500.92
2012/13AO FK Zenit Sankt-PeterburgPremier LigaDM19146554%410.310.20136515880.88
2012/13SL BenficaLiga PortugalDM327010%000.000.08137017010.86

Cups & continental competitions

SeasonCompetitionClubAppsMinGAAvg opp. Elo
2024/25Uefa Champions LeagueAtlético de Madrid4271001638
2024/25Copa Del ReyAtlético de Madrid327000—
2023/24Uefa Champions LeagueAtlético de Madrid10888001688
2023/24Copa Del ReyAtlético de Madrid548000—
2023/24SupercopaAtlético de Madrid130001810
2022/23Uefa Champions LeagueAtlético de Madrid6461011611
2022/23Copa Del ReyAtlético de Madrid432700—
2021/22Uefa Champions LeagueBorussia Dortmund6472001583
2021/22Dfb PokalBorussia Dortmund321500—
2021/22Franz Beckenbauer SupercupBorussia Dortmund190001892
2021/22Uefa Europa LeagueBorussia Dortmund249001616
2020/21Uefa Champions LeagueBorussia Dortmund5362101554
2020/21Dfb PokalBorussia Dortmund210400—
2019/20Uefa Champions LeagueBorussia Dortmund7611001705
2019/20Dfb PokalBorussia Dortmund327000—
2019/20Franz Beckenbauer SupercupBorussia Dortmund190001839
2018/19Uefa Champions LeagueBorussia Dortmund7630101670
2018/19Dfb PokalBorussia Dortmund320020—
2016/17Uefa Europa LeagueAO FK Zenit Sankt-Peterburg6540011453
2016/17Russian CupAO FK Zenit Sankt-Peterburg14500—
2015/16Uefa Champions LeagueAO FK Zenit Sankt-Peterburg7630111621
2015/16Russian CupAO FK Zenit Sankt-Peterburg438021—
2015/16Russian Super CupAO FK Zenit Sankt-Peterburg1120011513
2014/15Uefa Europa LeagueAO FK Zenit Sankt-Peterburg6518101613
2014/15Uefa Champions LeagueAO FK Zenit Sankt-Peterburg5442101658
2014/15Uefa Champions League QualifyingAO FK Zenit Sankt-Peterburg2157001424
2014/15Russian CupAO FK Zenit Sankt-Peterburg17500—
2013/14Uefa Champions LeagueAO FK Zenit Sankt-Peterburg7575001653
2013/14Uefa Champions League QualifyingAO FK Zenit Sankt-Peterburg4339011433
2013/14Russian Super CupAO FK Zenit Sankt-Peterburg190001578

Small continental samples are shown for context only and are not over-weighted.

Historical comparables

Most similar profiles 2+ years ago (same position group) and what happened next. Chosen by similarity only — failures included.

Player (then)AgeValue then~2y laterOutcome
Tomás Rincón
Serie A · 2023
35€800k€200kfell
Mike Frantz
Bundesliga · 2019
33€1.0M€350kfell
Kim Källström
Premier Liga · 2015
33€2.0M€1.1Mfell
Franco Brienza
Serie A · 2015
36€300k€300kflat
Angelo Palombo
Serie A · 2014
33€1.8M€600kfell
Tomás Pina
Laliga · 2021
34€1.2M€250kfell
Thomas Mangani
Ligue 1 · 2020
33€1.6M€600kfell
Renaud Cohade
Ligue 1 · 2017
33€1.0M€1.0Mflat

Transfer history

Fees as reported by the source; undisclosed fees shown as unknown, never estimated.

DateFromToFeeMV at time
12 Aug 2025AtléticoGironaFree / loan€2.0M
6 Jul 2022DortmundAtléticoFree / loan€4.0M
6 Aug 2018TJ TianhaiDortmund€20.0M€20.0M
3 Jan 2017Zenit S-PbTJ Quanjian€20.0M€20.0M
3 Sept 2012BenficaZenit S-Pb€40.0M€20.0M
13 Jul 2011Standard LiègeBenfica€9.0M€10.0M
1 Jul 2006Standard U19Standard LiègeUnknownData unavailable
1 Jul 2005Standard U17Standard U19UnknownData unavailable
1 Jul 2004Standard YthStandard U17UnknownData unavailable

MoneyballAI identifies statistical opportunities from available data. A player flagged as a potential bargain is not guaranteed to succeed, to transfer, to rise in value, or to generate resale profit. Market values, fees and contracts come from third-party sources; ranges are model estimates with stated confidence.