The 10 most expensive Nigerian players of all time

Cameron Smith

• Updated: 25 Jul 2024 10:50 BST
• 5 min read

Nigeria have some of the best players in African football and some of their biggest stars have achieved great things at club level.

Despite somewhat underwhelming at international level, having failed to win the Africa Cup of Nations since 2013, several Nigerian stars have moved teams for huge transfer fees at club level over the past decade.

Below, FootballTransfers runs through the 10 most expensive Nigerian players of all time.

10. Victor Osimhen - €22.4m (Charleroi to Lille, 2019)

Victor Osimhen’s move from Charleroi to Lille sees him place in 10th on this list.

The Super Eagles star had impressed during his time in Belgium, but he burst onto the world scene following his move to Ligue 1.

Osimhen notched 18 goals in 38 games for Lille, before leaving the club after just one season.

9. Calvin Bassey - €22.5m (Ajax to Fulham, 2023)

In ninth place is Calvin Bassey. The Nigeria defender left Ajax after just one year at the club and he returned to the United Kingdom with Fulham.

Bassey underwhelmed during his time in Amsterdam and the Eredivisie giants were happy to sell him following interest from Fulham.

8. Terem Moffi - €22.5m (Lorient to Nice, 2023)

Terem Moffi also moved clubs for €22.5m in 2023, with the Nigerian forward swapping Lorient for OGC Nice after a successful loan spell on the French Riviera.

Moffi left Lorient having bagged 35 goals in 90 games for the club, while he scored 11 times during his first full season at Nice.

7. Calvin Bassey - €23m (Rangers to Ajax, 2022)

Bassey appears on this list for the second and final time courtesy of his original move to Ajax.

After shining during Rangers’ run to the 2022 Europa League final, Bassey was wanted by numerous top clubs and Ajax won the race for his signature.

However, he made just 39 appearances for the Dutch giants and left having been an unused substitute in six of their final eight Eredivisie matches of the 2022-23 season.

6. Odion Ighalo - €23.3m (Watford to CC Yatai, 2016)

A serial journeyman, Odion Ighalo made his first foray into Asian football when he left the luxury of the Premier League to join Chinese side CC Yatai for €23.3m in 2016.

He had starred at Watford, but Ighalo left the club after two-and-a-half successful years, in which he scored 40 goals in 100 matches.

5. Nathan Tella - €23.3m (Southampton to Bayer Leverkusen, 2023)

Nathan Tella was expected to join Burnley on a permanent basis in 2023 after a sensational loan spell at Turf Moor saw him notch 17 goals in the Championship as Vincent Kompany’s side stormed to promotion.

However, he instead sealed a move to Bundesliga side Bayer Leverkusen and although he played a bit-part role, Tella was involved in their historic unbeaten league and cup double during his first season in Germany.

4. Alex Iwobi - €25.7m (Everton to Fulham, 2023)

Alex Iwobi is one of the most well-known Nigerian players of his generation and he features in fourth place on this list after joining Fulham for €25.7m in 2023.

The former Everton midfielder spent four years at Goodison Park, but he left on Transfer Deadline Day after a late offer from Fulham was tabled.

3. Kelechi Iheanacho - €27.7m (Man City to Leicester, 2017)

Kelechi Iheanacho was one of the most promising young forwards in world football when he broke through at Manchester City and he appeared destined for great things.

He left the Etihad Stadium in 2017, after averaging a goal every 100 minutes for the club, and joined Leicester City for nearly €30m.

Iheanacho helped Leicester win the 2021 FA Cup and he tallied 232 appearances for the Foxes, before leaving as a free agent aged 27 in 2024.

2. Alex Iwobi - €30.4m (Arsenal to Everton, 2019)

The aforementioned Iwobi is also the second-most expensive Nigerian player in history.

He left Arsenal after 15 years at the club to join Everton in search of more regular game time.

Iwobi’s final game for Arsenal was the 4-1 Europa League final loss to Chelsea, in which he scored the Gunners’ only goal.

1. Victor Osimhen - €77.5m (Lille to Napoli, 2020)

The most expensive Nigerian footballer of all time is Victor Osimhen, thanks to his €77.5m move from Lille to Napoli in 2020.

After an injury-hit first season in Serie A, Osimhen soon found his feet and he won the

Capocannoniere as Napoli won the Scudetto for the first time since 1990 during his third season at the club.

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