For this week’s episode of the Loupe Market Report powered by SlabStox, we’re going to start where we usually end. Lionel Messi leaving FC Barcelona and joining PSG sent shockwaves through the soccer world. It’ll have a similar effect on prices of the guys Messi’s playing alongside.
There are rumors that PSG will transfer young superstar Kylian Mbappe (which will inject new life into his card market), but what if they keep him around? Playing alongside a living legend will provide a boost to his prices. It’s the same for Neymar Jr. He’ll benefit from all the talent around him.
With the acquisition of Messi, PSG is the easy favorite to win Ligue 1 and they’re the second favorite to win the Champions League (right behind Man City in terms of betting odds). Their front four will be Neymar, Messi, Mbappe, and Angel Di Maria. That’s a group that’s going to generate a lot of offense. It’s also a striking corps that can win hardware. Messi joining PSG will pad everyone’s stats and quite possibly add to their legacies.
Now let’s reverse to the beginning of the video. In the basketball segment, we’re talking about Lonzo Ball. His prices have been steadily climbing now that he’s a member of the Chicago Bulls. Short-term, it might be a good time to sell considering he’s being talked about a lot. Long-term, he might be a good hold if you think the Bulls are going to make some real waves during the season.
For football, we’re comparing Josh Allen with Lamar Jackson. They’re mostly on similar trajectories — albeit with Allen slightly higher — as everyone has high expectations for them. As we turn our attention to baseball, we look at Milwaukee Brewers star Christian Yelich. His prices are sort of all over the place as health injuries have taken a toll on his career. It’s up in the air as to whether he’ll get back to the player he once was, and the uncertainty in his card market reflects that.
Thanks for watching the latest episode of the Loupe Market Report powered by SlabStox. If you have any questions about anything you saw today, remember that we host a liveshow on Loupe every Thursday at 6pm Eastern. Swing by for a live Q&A and hit us with any questions you have about the hobby!