Former Manchester United captain Roy Keane has described the current transfer market as "mind-boggling" and claimed that a player like Ryan Giggs would command a figure of £2bn if he were in his prime today.
The world transfer record was smashed earlier this summer when Paris Saint-Germain signed Neymar from Barcelona for £200m, and the Ligue 1 giants are close to completing another mega-money deal to bring Kylian Mbappe to the club.
Borussia Dortmund's 20-year-old attacker Ousmane Dembele has also joined Barcelona for a fee which could rise to £135.5m, and Keane believes that has had a big impact on the price of "average players" too.
"It's mind-boggling, the figures that are out there - especially for the average players. If ever there was a time to be a professional player it's now. Average players are going for £35m. My goodness," he told reporters.
"I don't really analyse it too much, but that's the market place at the moment. There aren't many top players out there. The really big players are going for big money and it's filtering down now. When average players are going for £30-40m, it does make you scratch your head. But if the clubs are prepared to pay that, then it's not the players' fault.
"Ruud [van Nistelrooy] would certainly be worth in the market now probably a billion. David Beckham? A billion. Ryan Giggs? Two billion. Me? £3.75m, I think."
Keane's Republic of Ireland side are currently gearing up for Saturday's World Cup qualifier in Georgia.
Barney Corkhill
