Ranking the most expensive African footballers ever

Victor Osimhen is poised to leave Napoli this summer in what could be a record-breaking transfer.

The Nigeria international has an agreement with the club allowing his departure during this transfer window, but interested teams will need to meet a hefty price tag.

With a reported release clause of around £110m, the 25-year-old could become the most expensive African footballer ever.

Sports Brief has compiled the current top five most expensive African transfers.

Most expensive African footballers ever

5. Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang – Borussia Dortmund to Arsenal (£56m)

In January 2018, Arsenal shattered their transfer record to bring in Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang from Borussia Dortmund for £56m. The Gabonese striker had netted 141 goals in 213 matches for the German club and was the Bundesliga’s top scorer in the 2016-17 season. Aubameyang made an immediate impact at Arsenal, scoring 10 goals in 13 appearances after joining mid-season.

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He clinched the Premier League Golden Boot in the 2018-19 season, sharing the award with fellow Africans Mohamed Salah and Sadio Mane, thus becoming the first player to win top scorer titles in both Germany and England—a feat only matched by Harry Kane since. Aubameyang tallied 92 goals over four seasons with Arsenal before moving to Barcelona following a fallout with head coach Mikel Arteta.

4. Victor Osimhen – Lille to Napoli (£57.5m)

Victor Osimhen’s transfer to Napoli in 2020, for a club-record £57.5m from Lille, raised eyebrows given his limited experience. However, the Nigerian forward proved to be a remarkable investment.

He won Serie A’s Best Young Player award in the 2021–22 season and led Napoli to their first league title in 33 years the following season, finishing as Serie A’s top scorer.

His achievements earned him the titles of Serie A Footballer of the Year and African Footballer of the Year. Osimhen is now the highest-scoring African player in Serie A history.

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3. Achraf Hakimi – Inter Milan to Paris Saint-Germain (£60m)

Achraf Hakimi’s impressive career has seen him play in Spain, Germany, Italy, and France.

The dynamic Moroccan right-back was pivotal in Inter Milan’s 2020-21 Serie A triumph, leading to a £60m move to Paris Saint-Germain. In Paris, he has continued to shine, securing three Ligue 1 titles.

Hakimi also played a key role in Morocco’s historic run to the World Cup semi-finals in 2022, the first for an African nation.

2. Riyad Mahrez – Leicester to Manchester City (£60m)

Manchester City set a new transfer record when they signed Riyad Mahrez from Leicester in 2018 for £60m.

Mahrez had been a driving force in Leicester’s sensational Premier League title win in 2015-16, earning the PFA Player of the Year award.

At Manchester City, he added four more Premier League titles to his name. Internationally, he helped Algeria win the Africa Cup of Nations in 2019.

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1. Nicolas Pepe – Lille to Arsenal (£72m)

Nicolas Pepe became the most expensive African footballer when Arsenal paid £72m to acquire him from Lille. Pepe had an outstanding final season in Ligue 1, scoring 22 goals and providing 11 assists, which caught the attention of Europe’s top clubs.

However, his time at Arsenal was underwhelming, leading to a loan spell at Nice and eventually a free transfer to Trabzonspor in 2023.