In recent years, Africa has become a reliable supplier of efficient and valuable football players to clubs around the world. Hundreds of thousands of bettors at Betpawa UG and other betting companies place their bets on their results. The contracts of top players from Africa are worth tens of millions of euros. We have compiled a list of the most expensive African football players who have moved to European clubs.
7th place – Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang
At the time of writing, Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang is officially recognized as the best footballer in Gabon, as well as the most successful scorer in Africa. At the age of 17, Milan signed a contract with him, after which Pierre was enrolled in the club’s academy. Early in his career, he played for the Rossoneri and went on loan to various French teams. He won the German Super Cup with Borussia Dortmund. Then he played for the London Arsenal and became the winner of the FA Super Cup. This acquisition cost the Gunners 64.75 million euros. After the London Arsenal, Pierre defended the colors of Barcelona, Chelsea, and relatively recently moved to Olympique Marseille.
6th place – Riyad Mahrez
The Algerian footballer played for the national team for a long time, played in the African Cup of Nations and at the 2014 World Cup. In 2016, he was recognized as the best football player by the Confederation of African Football. He began his career in an amateur club of the 4th division of Kemper, and a little later he moved to the French Le Havre. Mahrez signed a three and a half year contract with Leicester City in 2014. And in 2 years he became a key player of the Foxes. Mahrez won the Premier League with Leicester City in 2016. The next step in his football career was the move to Manchester City. The contract price was 67.8 million euros. At the time of writing, the player has extended his contract with the club until 2025.
5th place – Victor James Osimhen
Nigerian football player who plays for the national team and the Italian Napoli. In 2015, he became the best football player according to the Confederation of African Football among players under 17 years old. The football player began his career in 2008 in the Nigerian club Ultimate Strikers. After participating in the African Cup, the player moved to the first European club in his career – Wolfsburg. For two years, Victor played for this club, as well as for Charleroi on loan. Then Victor moved to Lille for 12 million euros. But it was not the largest contract. On July 31, 2020, Napoli announced the purchase of a football player for an incredible 70 million euros.
4th place – Ashraf Hakimi
Ashraf was born in a suburb of Madrid, in a family of emigrants from Morocco. At the time of the ranking, he is considered the best right-back in the world. Ashraf made a rapid career. He started playing in the youth club Colonia Ofigevi, and after 8 years he signed a contract with Real Madrid. After three years with Real Madrid, he joined Borussia Dortmund on loan. In 2020, he signed a contract with Internazionale. The deal amounted to 45 million euros. And a year later, Hakimi moved to PSG. The total value of the contract was 71 million euros. At the time of the ranking, the footballer continues to play for this club, as well as the Moroccan national team.
3rd place – Nicolas Pepe
Nicolas was born in France, in the small commune of Mantes-de-Joli, in a family of emigrants from Côte d’Ivoire. Despite the fact that he grew up and was educated in France, Nicolas plays for the national team of his native country and considers himself an Ivorian. From an early age, Nicolas began to build a football career, playing for youth clubs Poitiers and Paris Est. He signed his first full contract with the Angers club. Nicolas played for this team for 4 years, after which he moved to Lille. In 2019, Arsenal club representatives announced that Pepe would join the team for a record 79 million euros. This transfer made Pepe one of the most expensive African footballers. For the gunners, this deal was also a record. In 2022, on loan, he began playing for Nice Football Club. The contract will last until the end of the 2022/2023 season.
2nd place – Sadio Mane
The silver of our ranking goes to the player of Senegalese origin, Sadio Mane. He was born in the city of Sediu, and spent all his childhood in a small village. His entire family of 10 lived in a small house and did not have enough money to educate their children. Despite this, Sadio was interested in football from an early age and found ways to train and play. His uncle strongly suggested that his parents send Sadio to the youth football team, but they did not believe in success. Soon, the boy still managed to get to Dakar for viewing at the local academy.
At first he played for the local youth club Generacion Foot, but in 2009 the guy was noticed by the scouts of the French team Metz, who were actively looking for talented football players in African countries. Mane played two years for this club, after which he moved to Red Bull Salzburg, and in 2014 he signed a contract with Southampton worth more than 11 million euros. Two years later, the price of his contract rose to 40 million when Sadio was in Liverpool. In 2022, for about the same price, he left for the camp of Bavaria. But there are rumors that Real are hunting for a football player and are ready to pay 80 million euros for a football player.
1st place – Mohammed Salah
Egyptian football player Mohammed Salah deservedly occupies the first line of our rating. He plays for the national team of his country and plays for the Liverpool club. Salah is considered one of the most effective and productive footballers in the world. Mohammed has won the Premier League Golden Boot three times. While playing for the national team, Mohammed reached the final of the African League of Nations twice. As a player of Liverpool, he won the championship, the FA Cup and Super Cup, the AFL Cup, the Club World Cup. He also won the Swiss Championship as part of the Basel team..
Mohammed started his football career at the amateur club Ittihad Basyun. Professionally, he began to play only after 2 years in the Egyptian club Mokawloon. Then he moved to the Swiss Basel and since then began his career in European clubs. While at Chelsea, he also played for Roma and Fiorentino on loan. After 2 years, Salah signed a full contract with the Italian club Roma and played for him for about a year and a half. Salah moved to Liverpool for 42 million euros and showed himself worthy in his composition. But, despite this, the British are ready to sell the player. Estimated price is 100 million euros.
