Africa has produced some of the most electrifying talents the beautiful game has ever seen and their brilliance sometimes comes at a hefty price. The continent’s stars have commanded staggering transfer fees on the global stage.
In this article, we spotlight the 10 most expensive African footballers in history, including Victor Osimhen’s recent blockbuster deal to join Galatasaray.
Nicolas Pépé: Lille to Arsenal (€80M)
Signed from Lille by Arsenal after an exceptional season in France, the Ivorian winger was expected to take the Premier League by storm. Pepe was a complete winger; he had the flicks and tricks to evade opposition players, slaloming runs, line-breaking passes, and a rocket of a left foot; he could do it all. Arsenal did not hesitate to break the bank on him, signing him for a club-record and African record €80 million transfer fee.
The fee surpassed the club-record fee they had paid for Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang previously, a testament to their faith in his abilities. His arrival was meant to earmark Arsenal’s resurgence and propel them back to the big titles. Reality didn’t align with expectations as he got off to a slow start in England and struggled to replicate the otherworldly form that captured Arsenal’s interest.
His only major piece of silverware in North London was an FA Cup title in 2020. Both parties agreed to a mutual contract termination in 2023, putting a definitive end to an underwhelming stint. Of all the transfers on this list, he is among the few whose performances didn’t align with expectations.
Victor Osimhen: Lille to Napoli (€78.9M)
Victor Osimhen was one of the hottest prospects in the world in 2020, following a memorable debut season in France. Napoli’s sporting director, Christian Guntioli, was convinced by the Nigerian striker’s abilities and believed he had a talent rivaling Erling Haaland’s. The young striker was already on Liverpool’s radar, and Guntioli had to move quickly to avoid losing the young Nigerian to The English Giants.
As former Napoli advisor Giandomenico Costi revealed to Tuttosport, Guntioli was locked in a hotel with Osimhen for 3 days, persuading him to turn down Liverpool’s approach and sign for Napoli. “The signing of Osimhen is Giuntoli’s biggest masterpiece,” Costi told Tuttosport.
A €80 million fee was enough to pry the young striker from Lille, a club record sale for the French club and a club record signing for Napoli. Eyebrows were raised and questions were asked across Italy. The fee was enormous, and Osimhen was just 21, coming off the back of one stellar season in Ligue 1. Lille was delighted to receive a lump sum for a player they signed for €15 million the previous year.
Over the course of three seasons in Naples, Osimhen justified every single penny, banging goals into the back of the net one after another. He powered Napoli to their first Serie A title in 2023, notching 26 league goals across 32 appearances. Guntioli’s unwavering faith was validated domineeringly, leaving no room for doubt. His time in Italy was successful across all metrics, and Napoli is set to profit from his sale to Galatasaray.
Omar Marmoush: Frankfurt to Manchester City (€75M)
Omar Marmoush started the 2024/2025 season incredulously, sweeping fans, teammates, and opposition away with his magical brilliance. The goals and assists flowed seamlessly, as if they were second nature. Top clubs were monitoring him, and he was touted as a headline transfer target for the summer 2025 transfer window.
Clinical and unselfish in front of the goal, he was unstoppable, registering 15 goals and 9 assists in 17 appearances midway through the Bundesliga season. Manchester City pulled a fast one on other suitors, making a move for the Egyptian winger in January 2025. Frankfurt sanctioned a €75 million sale for the Egyptian winger as it was hard to keep City off. A huge amount for a player Frankfurt signed on a free transfer in summer 2023.
Marmoush adapted to life in England quickly, scoring 7 goals across 16 Premier League games. His brilliant form was hampered to a slight extent by Man City’s wobbly form.
Nevertheless, his debut season in English ended on a rewarding note as he clinched the Premier League Goal of the Season Award for his long-range effort against Bournemouth. He is bound to play a prominent role for The Cityzens in the coming seasons. Despite his January departure, he was the sixth-highest goalscorer and assist maker in the Bundesliga
Victor Osimhen: Napoli to Galatasaray (€75M)
The Nigerian striker departed Napoli under acrimonious circumstances. You can look back to summer 2024, the start of his transfer saga. It culminated in a loan move to Galatasaray just before the transfer window ended. Victor Osimhen reiterated his status as one of the best strikers in the world at Gala, netting 37 goals across 41 appearances during his loan stint. He led the club to a domestic league and cup double, clinching the Goal of the Season award for his jaw-dropping acrobatic effort in Galatasaray’s three-nil win against Antalyaspor.
The Turkish club was totally enchanted by the Nigerian striker and pulled out all the stops to offer him a redemption from his nightmare in Napoli. Following intense and prolonged negotiations, all parties came to a mutual agreement for his transfer. A €75 million fee, a 10% sell-on clause, and a penalty to Gala if they sell him to an Italian club over the next two years.
In comparison, before Victor Osimhen’s move, the biggest transfer record in the Turkish League was a measly €20 million transfer of Moroccan Striker Youssef En-Nesyri from Sevilla in July 2024. His high-profile signing will elevate both the club and the Turkish Super Lig’s standing globally.
Bryan Mbeumo: Brentford to Manchester United (€75M)
Bryan Mbeumo was the subject of prolonged transfer negotiations between Manchester United and Brentford. Man United had to place a significant transfer bid to convince Brentford to part ways with their prized asset.
The Cameroonian winger arrived at Brentford as a fresh-faced youngster, brimming with potential but lacking a clinical edge. Thomas Frank sharpened his skills and turned him into one of the most lethal forwards in the game.
The Cameronian winger took his game to a new level at the start of the 2024/2025 season, notching 20 goals and 7 assists in the Premier League. His superb performances and United’s misfiring attackers meant United were willing to do everything possible to get a deal over the line for him. Newcastle and Tottenham were also credited with an interest in the nimble-footed winger but he had his heart set on a move to Old Trafford.
Signed for less than €10 million in 2019, The Bees made a massive profit on his sale. Like Merlin in Camelot, the destiny of Man United’s attack now rests heavily on Mbeumo’s shoulders.
Achraf Hakimi: Inter Milan to PSG (€68M)
The Moroccan full-back moved to PSG from Inter Milan in the summer of 2023 and slotted into Paris Saint-Germain’s starting XI immediately.
Offensively deadly and defensively solid, Hakimi is a complete full-back. He validated his standing as one of the most exciting fullbacks in the world at Inter Milan and cemented his status as one of the best in the business in Paris. He joined Inter Milan in 2020 and helped them win their first title in 11 years. He spent a single season in Italy before PSG bid for his signature.
Hakimi has justified every penny during his four-year stint in Paris, leading the club to four consecutive Ligue 1 titles, a maiden UCL title, and a historic European continental treble. He came up clutch for the Parisians on multiple occasions last session, notching vital goals against Arsenal in the UCL semifinals, Reims in the Coupe de France Final, and former employers Inter Milan in the UCL final.
He is a strong contender for the Ballon d’Or and the African Player of the Year award.
Riyad Mahrez: Leicester City to Manchester City (€67.8M)
Riyad Mahrez had a storied career in England’s top flight. He was instrumental in Leicester City’s fairytale Premier League triumph in the 2015/2016 season. They went from battling relegation the previous season to competing for the Premier League the following season and winning it.
The Algerian Team Captain became the first African to win the PFA Players’ Player of the Year Award and the first Algerian to win a Premier League title at the end of Leicester’s iconic season. The 2016 CAF footballer of the year winner earned a nomination for the 2016 Ballon d’Or and finished in seventh place.
A high-profile move to City ensued after. Manchester City broke the bank to sign Mahrez, making him the most expensive African footballer in history, City’s club record signing, and Leicester’s biggest sale. His stint in Manchester was successful, and he won every possible trophy at the club level. He is one of the most decorated African footballers in English top-flight history, and no African has won more EPL titles than him.
He is the only African to win a European continental treble and an English domestic treble.
Mohammed Kudus: West Ham to Tottenham (€63.8M)
Ghanaian winger Mohammed Kudus, a fan favourite at West Ham United, swapped North London for East London this summer to sign for Tottenham Hotspur. The Ghanaian winger arrived in England in 2023 from AFC Ajax, where he established himself as one of the most exciting talents emerging from Africa.
Kudus had a bright start to life in the English top flight, entertaining fans with his mesmerising skills. The 25-year-old winger had a thing for spectacular goals during his time with the Hammers.
His technical abilities and huge potential prompted Spurs to move for him earlier in the transfer window. Both clubs negotiated a fee slightly lower than his gigantic release clause and came to an agreement for his permanent transfer for a €63.8 million fee.
Undoubtedly, the UEFA Champions League football played a significant role in his decision, and it’ll be satisfying to watch him tear it up in Europe’s biggest club competition again. He is the most expensive Ghanaian footballer in history.
Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang: Dortmund to Arsenal (€63.8M)
At the peak of his powers, Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang was one of the most fearsome strikers in Europe. Blessed with blinding speed and lethal finishing abilities, Auba scored all types of goals. You couldn’t afford to give him a breathing space!
The Gabonese striker signed for Arsenal in a club-record deal in 2018. The English club was significantly impressed with his clinical performances with Dortmund, which made him the most expensive signing in the club’s history back then.
He formed a devastating strike partnership with Alexander Lacazette at the Emirates Stadium, a nightmarish combo for Premier League defenders. His 22 league goals earned him a joint Premier League Golden Boot with Liverpool’s Mohamed Salah and Sadio Mané in the 2018/2019 season. A moment of great pride for the African continent.
His heroics helped Arsenal defeat Chelsea in the final of the FA Cup 2020, becoming the first African to win the FA Cup as a captain.
Sadly, his time in North London ended when all parties agreed to a mutual contract termination in 2022. The 36-year-old striker is still banging in the goals and recently returned to the French top flight with Olympique Marseille.
Naby Keïta: Leipzig to Liverpool (€60M)
Keita was exceptionally brilliant and an absolute joy to watch on his day. The Guinean midfielder joined RB Leipzig in 2016 and was a standout player for the club during his two-year stint.
In his debut season in Germany, he earned a spot in the Bundesliga Team of the season, registering 8 goals and 7 assists. Liverpool was irresistibly attracted, and they triggered his release clause in the summer of 2017. All parties came to an agreement for him to join the following summer.
Injuries and recurrent injuries denied Liverpool fans the opportunity to see the best of Keita consistently. He won every possible trophy at the club but his fitness issues left much to be desired. He left the club on a free transfer in 2023.
