With the European football season already ended, the focus of football fans now shifts from cheering their clubs to victory to monitoring the activities of African players in the transfer market.
African players are not left out with the likes of Napoli’s Goal Machine Victor Osimhen, Chelsea defender Kalidou Koulibaly & his compatriot Sadio Mane all reported to seek pastures anew in this transfer window
While we wait for the next major move by an African Footballer, we have decided to give you the five most expensive African football players in history.
- Achraf Hakimi is the 5th most expensive African footballer in history after he completed a £60 million transfer from Inter Milan to French Kings Paris Saint-Germain in 2021.
The Moroccan defender who spent just a season at San Siro has improved his game in Paris and has been touted as one of, if not the best Right Back in the World.
- Pep Guardiola’s Manchester City spent a then club-record fee of £60 million to sign Algerian International Riyad Mahrez, from 2016 Premier League champions Leicester City.
The Former CAF African Footballer of the Year has contributed to the Cityzens’ trophy-laden spell, helping the current European Champions to 11 Trophies since he joined the club in 2018.
- On 28 February 2018, the final day of the Chinese transfer window, Cedric Bakambu became Africa’s most expensive player at the time as Beijing Guoan parted with a mouth-watering £65 million to take Bakambu from Spain to China after the striker had netted 15 goals for Villarreal during the 2017-18 season.
The Congolese striker spent 4 years at the Chinese Capital club before returning to Europe in 2022.
- Nicolas Pepe was Africa’s most expensive player for just one year when Arsenal parted with £72 million to bring the winger to the Emirates Stadium from LOSC Lille.
Arsenal fans hoped Pepe would emulate Eden Hazard, Lile’s best import to the Premier League, rather than his compatriot Gervinho, but the winger failed to live up to expectations in London. The Ivorian was subsequently sent on loan to OGC Nice in France.
- Victor James Osimhen’s £80 million move from Lille to Napoli is the Most Expensive Transfer by an African Footballer.
The Nigerian hitman who was purchased from the French Loigue 1 in 2020 has already repaid the faith of the partenopei as he helped the Italian club to win the Serie A title for the first time since 1990 having finished the 2022/23 season as the league’s top scorer with 26 goals.