A recent study has revealed that the North West dominates in terms of marketable football players within the Premier League.
With social media metrics being a major factor, eight out of the top ten players are based in the North West. Seven of those hail from Manchester.
The North West’s Football Dominance
The North West is leading in the ‘most marketable footballers’ league in English football. A new study examined the social media presence of 430 Premier League players.
Out of the top 10, eight players are from the North West, with seven of them in Manchester.
Top Players by Social Media Metrics
The study looked at Instagram followers, monthly Google searches, and TikTok hashtags. Erling Haaland tops the list with a score of 23.82.
Haaland’s popularity stems from his 2.5 million monthly searches, 184,100 TikTok posts, and 38 million Instagram followers.
Liverpool’s Mohamed Salah ranks second, leading Instagram followers with 63.3 million. Salah also has 202,100 TikTok posts and 603,000 monthly searches.
Manchester’s Strong Presence
Kevin De Bruyne from Manchester City is third with 26 million Instagram followers and 714,000 monthly searches.
Manchester United’s Mason Mount claims the fourth spot, excelling on TikTok with 238,200 posts. His monthly Google searches are the fifth highest among players.
Julian Alvarez from Manchester City stands seventh, with 16 million Instagram followers and 495,000 monthly searches.
Notable Entries Outside Manchester
Spurs’ Richarlison breaks the Manchester trend, earning fifth place with a marketability score of 12.98.
Arsenal’s Kai Havertz is the only player from his club in the top 10, placing eighth.
United and City’s Continued Influence
Manchester United captain Bruno Fernandes is ninth, being third-most popular on TikTok with 189,400 posts.
Phil Foden of Manchester City completes the top 10, averaging 462,000 monthly searches and having 12.3 million Instagram followers.
Foden was also the Premier League Player of the Season for 2023/24 and the second most-followed English player on Instagram.
Global Influence
Tim Soulo, CMO at Ahrefs, highlighted Haaland’s record-breaking impact in just two seasons in the league. Said Soulo, ‘Non-English players dominated the ranking with Haaland leading among eight foreign players in the top 10.’
Soulo also noted, ‘Manchester’s dominance in the Premier League has resulted in greater marketability.’ This underscores the city’s significance in football.
Significance of Social Media
The study reveals how social media metrics significantly influence a player’s marketability in modern football.
Platforms like TikTok, Instagram, and Google searches offer insights into player popularity beyond just athletic performance.
For instance, consistent engagement on these platforms can lead to increased sponsorship deals and brand collaborations.
Conclusion
This data underscores the North West’s pivotal role in English football’s marketability landscape. Manchester, in particular, remains a crucial hub for some of the game’s most influential players.
The North West continues to lead the marketability arena in English football, as evident from the presence of eight players in the top ten list.
Manchester, in particular, remains a critical hub for football talent, showcasing its dominance and influence.
Social media metrics have become a key determinant of players’ marketability, reflecting their global appeal and commercial value.