Victor Osimhen Set New Record Fees, Tops African Football Transfers of All Time

African footballers are shaking up the sport beyond the pitch, setting new records and commanding enormous fees in the transfer market. Breaking down the top ten transfers, analysing how these stars rose through the ranks and which clubs paid big for their talent

Victor Osimhen (€183.30m)

Victor Osimhen sits at the summit of African football’s money movers, with an eye-watering cumulative transfer haul of €183.30m. His journey began in January 2017 when he left Ultimate Strikers Academy in Lagos for VfL Wolfsburg, a move worth €3.50m. This early step into Europe was modest in financial terms but monumental for his career.

After limited opportunities in Germany, he found new life in Belgium. A loan move to RSC Charleroi in 2018 eventually became permanent in 2019, costing the Belgian club €3.50m.

From Belgium, he moved to Lille in France for €22.40m and after just one season, Napoli splashed out a record €78.90m in 2020. The Nigerian continued to prove his worth as one of Europe’s top forwards, which led to Galatasaray paying €75m in 2025 to bring him to Turkey after a successful season-long loan spell that saw him scoring 37 goals. With five paid transfers in total, his career has generated €183.30m in fees, making him the African leader in cumulative transfer spending.

Sadio Mané (€130.20m)

Senegalese legend Sadio Mané comes second on the list with a combined €130.20m from five transfers.

His professional career began with Génération Foot before moving to Metz and later RB Salzburg for €4m. His value skyrocketed at Southampton, who sold him to Liverpool for €41.20m in 2016,and..  Read . .More —