Super Eagles striker Victor Osimhen has dropped to fifth place in the ranking of Africa’s most valuable footballers, according to the latest data from Transfermarkt.
The Nigerian forward is currently valued at €75 million, having previously occupied the top spot in 2023.
Osimhen now trails Ivory Coast winger Yan Diomande, who leads the ranking with a market value of €90 million. Paris Saint-Germain defender Achraf Hakimi, Manchester City winger Antoine Semenyo, and Lille midfielder Ayyoub Bouaddi are all valued at €80 million and occupy the positions ahead of him.
Manchester United forward Bryan Mbeumo, also valued at €75 million, shares sixth place with Osimhen.
The drop in Osimhen’s market value comes despite his strong start to the 2026/27 season with Turkish champions Galatasaray. The 27-year-old has scored four goals and provided one assist in his first two matches of the campaign.
Osimhen has also climbed to third on Galatasaray’s all-time list of foreign goalscorers and continues to attract interest from several top European clubs. Arsenal are reportedly among his strongest suitors, while Saudi Pro League side Al Hilal are also said to be monitoring his situation.
Osimhen Among World’s Top Centre-Forwards
On the global scale, Transfermarkt ranks Osimhen as the 20th most valuable forward in the world and eighth among specialist centre-forwards.
Manchester City and Norway striker Erling Haaland leads the centre-forward ranking with a market value of €220 million, followed by Real Madrid and France star Kylian Mbappé at €200 million.
Argentina and Atlético Madrid forward Julián Álvarez is valued at €120 million, while Newcastle United’s Alexander Isak and Inter Milan’s Lautaro Martínez are both valued at €85 million. Hugo Ekitike and João Pedro complete the next group at €80 million each.
Despite his fall in the continental ranking, Osimhen remains Nigeria’s most valuable footballer and the most valuable player in the Turkish Süper Lig.
Since joining Galatasaray from Napoli, he has scored 63 goals in 76 appearances for the Turkish giants.
His transfer history also highlights his value in the African football market. His 2020 move from Lille to Napoli was reportedly worth around $91 million, while his permanent transfer from Napoli to Galatasaray was valued at approximately $87 million.
Diomande’s reported $144 million transfer from RB Leipzig to Real Madrid currently tops the list of the most expensive transfers involving an African player, ahead of Nicolas Pepe’s reported $92 million move from Lille to Arsenal in 2019.
Meanwhile, Atlético Madrid winger Ademola Lookman remains another highly valued Nigerian star, with a current market value of €35 million.
Lookman has continued to play an important role for both Atlético Madrid and Nigeria. He was also one of the Super Eagles’ key attacking players during their third-place finish at the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations, where Osimhen was among the tournament’s standout performers.