Victor Osimhen Ranked 18th Most Expensive Player In The World By FIFA

Super Eagles attacker Victor Osimhen is the world’s 18th most expensive player.

Following his €81 million transfer from French Ligue 1 team Lille to Serie A side Napoli in August 2020, Osimhen is ranked 18th in the world according to a FIFA report.

He becomes Africa’s most expensive signing, surpassing Ivoirian Nicolas Pepe’s €80 million transfer from Lille to Arsenal a year ago.

After moving from Barcelona to PSG for €222 million in 2017, Neymar became the most expensive footballer in the world. Eden Hazard, who joined Real Madrid for a deal that could top €174 million two years later, is the next player on the list.

The third most expensive transfer is Philippe Coutinho’s €170 million move from Liverpool to Barcelona in 2018, followed by Ousmane Dembele’s €157.78 million move from Borussia Dortmund to Barcelona in 2017.

With Joao Felix’s €126 move from Benfica to Atletico Madrid in 2019, he rounds out the top five.

Osimhen’s transfer is considered the third most expensive in 2020, trailing only Kai Havertz’s €85 million move from Bayer Leverkusen to Chelsea and Arthur Melo’s €82 million move from Juventus to Barcelona. Only five Africans and no Nigerians are mentioned among FIFA’s top 70 transfers.

Pepe of the Ivory Coast is ranked number 21, while Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang of Gabon is ranked 31st after joining Arsenal from Dortmund for €63.7 million.

With his club-record €60 million transfer from Leipzig to Liverpool, Guinean Naby Keita is ranked 41st.

Ghana’s Thomas Partey, who joined Arsenal for €50 million from Atletico Madrid in 2020 to finish 64th, and Egypt’s Mohamed Salah, who joined Liverpool for €42 million from AS Roma in 2017, are both on the list.