Photo Credit: Punch Newspapers / Transfermarkt / Galatasaray
Osimhen Drops to 5th in Africa’s Most Valuable Players List

Super Eagles striker Victor Osimhen has dropped to fifth position in the ranking of Africa’s most valuable footballers, according to data from Transfermarkt.

Osimhen, who topped the continental list in 2023 before slipping to second in 2025 and third ahead of this year’s AFCON, is now valued at €75 million.

The Nigerian is now ranked behind Ivory Coast winger Yan Diomande (€90m), PSG defender Achraf Hakimi (€80m), Manchester City winger Antoine Semenyo (€80m) and Lille midfielder Ayyoub Bouaddi (€80m). He is level on value with Manchester United’s Bryan Mbeumo, who makes up the top six.

The drop comes despite a flying start to the 2026/27 season for the 27-year-old at Turkish champions Galatasaray, where he has scored four goals and one assist in just two games. Osimhen, who recently moved into third on Galatasaray’s all-time foreign goalscorers list, remains linked with a move away, with Arsenal and Saudi side Al-Hilal said to be monitoring his situation.

Globally, Osimhen is rated as the 20th most valuable forward in world football, and 8th among out-and-out centre-forwards. Manchester City’s Erling Haaland (€220m) leads that striker list, followed by Kylian Mbappe (€200m).

Despite the slip, Osimhen remains the most valuable Nigerian footballer in the world and the most valuable player in the Turkish Super Lig, with 63 goals in 76 appearances for Galatasaray since joining from Napoli.

He also features twice among Africa’s most expensive transfers ever – his $91m move from Lille to Napoli in 2023 and his reported $87m permanent switch to Galatasaray.

Source: Punch Newspapers –