The 2026-27 summer transfer window opened in June and will close officially on August 31 in some leagues, while other leagues have until September 1 to finalize all transfers.
Just like in previous transfer windows, multiple African footballers have been linked with moves away from their current clubs.
Their performances for their respective clubs has seen their market value increase and has also led to an increase in their transfer fee as well. This article looks at the five most expensive African footballers in football history.
Yan Diomande (€140 million)
Ivorian teenage sensation Yan Diomande completed a move to Real Madrid from RB Leipzig on Thursday in a fee that could reach €140 million, marking a new record for the most expensive transfer involving an African footballer.
The 19-year-old only joined Leipzig last summer and has now taken another bold step after an impressive campaign in the Bundesliga. Real Madrid will pay a fixed €125 million, with the additional €15 million in transfer and performance related add-ons.
Diomande will now be hoping to justify that price tag next season, as he prepares for a new chapter in his career with the record European champions.
📖 ¡Conoce mejor a Yan Diomande! pic.twitter.com/cl0cJgifzw
— Real Madrid C.F. (@realmadrid) August 6, 2026
Nicolas Pepe (€80 million)
A second Ivorian footballer on this list, Nicolas Pepe previously held the record for the most expensive African footballer in history until Diomande’s record breaking move to Real Madrid. Pepe joined Arsenal from French club Lille in 2019 in a fee worth €80 million.
The forward, however, struggled to live with the pressure that came with the hefty price tag and left the club on loan before mutually agreeing to terminate his contract in 2023.
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Victor Osimhen (€80 million)
Super Eagles forward Victor Osimhen also appears on this list after his move to Napoli from French side Lille in 2020. The fee was made up of a fixed €70 million and the remaining €10 million in add-ons.
Osimhen enjoyed an impressive stint at the Italian club, helping them win the Serie A title during the 2022-23 season and ending a 33-year wait in the process.
He has since left the club for Turkish side Galatasaray initially on loan in 2024, before the move was made permanent last summer for €75 million.
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Omar Marmoush (€70 million)
Egyptian forward Omar Marmoush ranks fourth after his €70 million move from Bundesliga side Eintracht Frankfurt to Manchester City in the winter transfer window in 2025.
Marmoush had enjoyed an impressive first half of the season in Germany before making the switch.
However, he has found playing time limited in recent months and has been linked with an exit from the club this summer, with Tottenham Hotspur very keen on signing him as an attacking option ahead of next season.
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Bryan Mbeumo (€75 million)
Cameroonian forward Bryan Mbeumo rounds off this list after his €75 million transfer from Brentford to Manchester United last summer.
Mbuemo had enjoyed an impressive campaign with the Bees during the 2024-25 season, which then earned him a move to the Old Trafford last summer.
He immediately became an integral part of that team and was very influential as they finished third last season and sealed a return to the UEFA Champions League for the 2026-27 campaign.
