Who commanded the biggest transfer fees? Who broke records, and who carried the weight of expectation through their price tag?
By Tuka Letura
The 2025/26 summer transfer window closed on 1 September, with African players at the centre of some of the biggest stories across Europe’s top five leagues. First, we focus on cost. Who commanded the biggest fees? Who broke records, and who carried the weight of expectation through their price tag?
Here, we count down the top 10 most expensive African transfers of summer 2025, ranked purely by the value of each deal.
1.Bryan Mbeumo – Brentford ➝ Manchester United – €75m
Cameroon forward, Bryan Mbeumo, sealed his dream move to Manchester United after six standout years at Brentford. The Red Devils secured his signature for an initial £65 million, with the deal potentially rising to £71 million through add-ons. He became the most expensive African signing in Premier League history and the biggest sale in Brentford’s history.
For United, Mbeumo was the club’s second signing of the summer and is only the third Cameroonian to represent the Red Devils, following goalkeeper André Onana and Eric Djemba-Djemba. The 26-year-old brings pace, directness, and tactical versatility. He is equally effective cutting in from the flanks, drifting centrally to support the striker, or even leading the line.
At Brentford, he finished last season as the club’s top scorer, and was one of only five players in the 2024/25 Premier League to score 20 goals, while also providing seven assists. With 27 goal involvements in total, he was among just five players to record more than 25 in the league last season.
2. Victor Osimhen – Napoli ➝ Galatasaray – €75m
Though his move took him outside Europe’s top five leagues, Victor Osimhen’s €75 million transfer to Galatasaray deserves an honourable mention. The Nigerian striker, who joined permanently after a year-long loan from Napoli, became the most expensive signing in Turkish football history and pushed his cumulative career transfer fees past €180 million, the highest ever for an African player.
His deal was also the joint most expensive of the window, matching the fee Manchester United paid for Bryan Mbeumo within Europe’s top five leagues. He signed a three-year contract with the Istanbul giants.
3. Mohammed Kudus – West Ham United ➝ Tottenham Hotspur – €63.8m
Ghanaian playmaker, Mohammed Kudus, made a high-profile move across London, swapping West Ham United for Tottenham Hotspur in a deal worth £55 million (€63.8m). This made him the second most expensive African player to join a club in Europe’s top five leagues this summer. He also became Spurs’ first-ever Ghanaian player and the most expensive Ghanaian of all time.
At 24, Kudus is renowned for his flair, pace, and creativity. Over the past two Premier League seasons, no player has completed more dribbles, with the Ghanaian international recording an impressive 207. While his goal output has dipped of late, Kudus has already provided two assists in the opening three games of the new season, showing signs of restoring his attacking edge.
4. Dango Ouattara – Bournemouth ➝ Brentford – €42.8m
Two years after arriving in the Premier League from Lorient, Burkina Faso winger, Dango Ouattara, completed a high-profile switch from Bournemouth to Brentford in a deal worth €42.8 million. The 23-year-old’s move ranks as the third most expensive transfer of an African player in Europe’s top five leagues this season, underlining his growing reputation.
Ouattara has already scored on his debut for the Bees and has featured in every Brentford match so far this campaign. A dynamic winger blessed with pace and directness, he thrives when running at defenders and stretching opposition lines, making him a natural fit for Brentford’s attacking set-up.
5. Rayan Aït-Nouri – Wolverhampton Wanderers ➝ Manchester City – €36.8m
Algerian left-back, Rayan Aït-Nouri, became one of Manchester City’s earliest signings of the summer, joining from Wolverhampton Wanderers in a deal worth €36.8 million (£31m plus £5.3m in add-ons). His transfer ranks as the fourth most expensive involving an African player in Europe’s top five leagues this summer.
Since arriving, the 23-year-old has been a regular feature in Pep Guardiola’s side, appearing in every league game so far. He also slotted seamlessly into City’s Club World Cup campaign, marking his debut with an assist in just his second appearance. Combining defensive discipline with attacking intent from the flanks, Aït-Nouri is expected to bring both stability and creativity to City’s left side.
6. Eliesse Ben Seghir – AS Monaco ➝ Bayer Leverkusen – €32m
Eliesse Ben Seghir became one of Bayer Leverkusen’s marquee summer signings, completing a move from AS Monaco for €32 million, with a further €5 million in potential add-ons. The 20-year-old attacker signed a five-year contract running until June 2030, underlining the German champions’ commitment to investing in emerging talent.
Born in France but representing Morocco at international level, Ben Seghir is widely regarded as one of the brightest prospects of his generation. A left winger with excellent technical ability and creativity in the final third, he arrives at Leverkusen with a reputation for flair and composure in attacking areas. His transfer also makes him the youngest player on this list of high-profile African moves into Europe’s top five leagues this season.
7. Evann Guessand – OGC Nice ➝ Aston Villa – €30m
Aston Villa reinforced their frontline this summer with the signing of Evann Guessand from OGC Nice in a €30 million deal, following the departures of Leon Bailey and Morgan Rogers. The 23-year-old forward, a former French youth international who now represents Ivory Coast at the senior level, brings versatility and attacking depth to Unai Emery’s side.
Guessand is capable of operating across the front line, though he is most effective in central areas where his strength, movement, and link-up play stand out. Last season, he recorded 13 goals and 9 assists in 42 appearances for Nice across all competitions, a return that highlighted both his consistency and his ability to deliver in key moments. With Villa competing on multiple fronts, his arrival adds dynamism and firepower to the club’s attacking options.
8. Tolu Arokodare – KRC Genk ➝ Wolverhampton Wanderers – €27m
Nigerian striker, Tolu Arokodare, made the switch from Belgian side, Genk, to Wolverhampton Wanderers in a deal worth €27 million, setting a new record as the most expensive outgoing transfer in Genk’s history. At 24, Arokodare arrived in the Premier League on deadline day, fresh from a standout campaign in Belgium.
Last season, he finished as the Belgian Pro League’s joint-top scorer with 21 goals, adding two more in cup competitions to close out with 23 goals and 7 assists in all competitions. His performances earned him the Golden Boot, the Ebony Shoe Award for best African player in Belgium, and a place in the league’s Team of the Season.
9. Simon Adingra – Brighton ➝ Sunderland – £21m (€24.5m with add-ons)
On 10 July 2025, Sunderland secured one of their most eye-catching signings in recent memory, bringing in Ivory Coast winger Simon Adingra from Brighton in a deal worth £21 million, potentially rising to €24.5 million with add-ons. The 23-year-old signed a five-year contract at the Stadium of Light, making him a central figure in the club’s summer rebuild.
Adingra first joined Brighton from FC Nordsjaelland in 2022 before gaining valuable experience on loan at Belgian side Royale Union Saint-Gilloise, where his directness and energy stood out. On his return to the Premier League, he featured in 29 games for Brighton last season, scoring twice and providing two assists, while showing glimpses of his ability to stretch defences and influence games from wide areas.
10. Neil El Aynaoui – RC Lens ➝ AS Roma – €23.5m (+ €1.5m add-ons)
On 18 July 2025, Moroccan midfielder, Neil El Aynaoui, completed a move to Serie A, joining AS Roma from RC Lens in a deal worth €23.5 million, with an additional €1.5 million in performance-related bonuses and a sell-on clause included. The 23-year-old signed after Roma finally reached an agreement with Lens following several rounds of negotiations earlier in the summer.
El Aynaoui established himself as one of Ligue 1’s most consistent midfielders during his time at Lens, combining energy, tactical intelligence, and ball progression from deep. His ability to break lines with his passing and recover possession made him a key figure for the French side.
11. Nayef Aguerd – West Ham United ➝ Marseille – €23m
On 1 September 2025, Moroccan centre-back, Nayef Aguerd, returned to Ligue 1, joining Marseille from West Ham United in a deal worth around €23 million. The 29-year-old defender signed a long-term contract until 2030, with the French side turning to his proven top-flight experience to strengthen their back line.
Aguerd first arrived in England in June 2022, when West Ham paid £30 million to sign him from Rennes — at the time, the fourth-highest transfer fee in the club’s history. He went on to make 61 appearances across all competitions for the Hammers, playing a part in their 2023 UEFA Europa Conference League triumph. In the 2024/25 season, he spent a year on loan in Spain with Real Sociedad, further broadening his European experience.
Top picks for most influential African transfer this from the summer transfer window.
- Nicolas Jackson (Chelsea → Bayern Munich, Loan with €65m Obligation to Buy)
- Christantus Uche (Getafe → Crystal Palace, €20m Permanent Transfer)
- Evann Guessand (Nice → Aston Villa, €30–35m Permanent Transfer)
Tuka Letura is an experienced sports writer with over six years of experience in the craft. He uses data and statistics to provide analysis and commentary. From regional to worldwide competitions, he has covered a wide range of sports-related events and topics. He is devoted to sharing his enthusiasm for sports with his audience and engaging them with interesting anecdotes and viewpoints.