The cheapest rising profile on the board
The skouted.ai rising list is topped by strikers with seven-figure valuations, but buried in the same section sits a defender whose situation is more extreme than any of them: Yousri Sbai, 21 years old, rated 71 OVR, carrying a 99 undervaluation score, the maximum the model assigns, and already out of contract at VVV Venlo.
The raw economics are absurd. A 71 OVR defender at 21 projects as a solid Eredivisie-level starter within two seasons. The model values him at €340K to €560K. His expired contract means the acquisition cost is zero beyond wages. For any club with a development pathway, this is the definition of a strong buy.
Who is he
Sbai is a Dutch defender listed by the model as a center back, though VVV Venlo deployed him at right back when he arrived on loan from N.E.C.’s academy setup. That dual positional coverage is a quiet asset in the Dutch second tier, where squads are small and versatility decides minutes. Right-footed, youth-tagged, and with high data confidence on his profile, he is exactly the profile the model was built to find: productive, young, and invisible to big-league scouting departments.
The Eerste Divisie context matters. VVV Venlo gives teenagers real minutes in a competitive second division, the same environment that has fed players to the Eredivisie for decades. A 21-year-old regular there is a prospect, not a project.
Why the model loves him
- Undervaluation score of 99: the model's highest label, "highly undervalued," meaning performance signals far exceed the market value band.
- Deal score of 62: solid for a non-contract-leverage situation, and it understates the reality since no fee is payable.
- Age 21 with high data confidence: the model's development curve still has three seasons of steep projection ahead.
- Free agent status: the January window's most powerful arbitrage, available to any club in any league without a transfer fee.
The combination the model hunts is simple: high OVR relative to valuation, youth, and a contract situation tilted toward the buyer. Sbai checks all three boxes harder than any defender currently on the rising board.
Who should call
Eredivisie clubs needing defensive depth should move first, they know the league and the player. Belgian and Danish top-flight sides have the strongest record of converting Eerste Divisie defenders into sellable assets. Even a Championship club taking a low-wage gamble has nothing to lose. The only wrong answer is waiting, because free agents with 99 UV scores do not stay unsigned past January.
AI Verdict: Strong Buy
Zero fee, 21 years old, 71 OVR, 99 undervaluation. Every risk factor is on the selling side, and there is no seller. This is the January bargain bin opening three months early.
View full profile and AI-powered transfer intelligence at skouted.ai