Diomande becomes Africa’s most expensive player, but where do Osimhen, Lookman rank in top 10?

Yan Diomande has rewritten African football history after completing his blockbuster move from RB Leipzig to Real Madrid, becoming the continent's most expensive player ever.

The Ivory Coast winger's transfer, reportedly worth an initial €125 million and potentially rising to €140 million with add-ons, has shattered the previous record and moved him clear of some of Africa's biggest football icons.

The deal also reshuffles the rankings of the most expensive African transfers ever, with Super Eagles striker Victor Osimhen featuring twice in the top 10, while compatriot Ademola Lookman narrowly misses out following his move to Atletico Madrid.

Diomande now sits alone at the top after Real Madrid completed his signing on a seven-year contract.

Reports claim the Spanish giants agreed an initial €125 million fee, with another €10-15 million in add-ons that could take the overall package to €140 million.

The deal eclipses every previous African transfer and also becomes Real Madrid's most expensive signing, surpassing the arrivals of Jude Bellingham and Cristiano Ronaldo.

For almost seven years, Nicolas Pépé held the record as Africa's most expensive footballer after Arsenal paid Lille around €80 million in 2019.

The Ivory Coast winger earned the move after a sensational Ligue 1 campaign but struggled to consistently justify the price tag in North London before eventually leaving the club.

Cameroon international Bryan Mbeumo joined Manchester United in the summer of 2025 in a deal that could also reach €80 million with bonuses.

His impressive performances for Brentford convinced United to invest heavily in one of the Premier League's most productive forwards.

Osimhen's permanent switch to Galatasaray became the biggest transfer in Turkish football history.

The Nigerian arrived after an outstanding loan spell and immediately became the face of Galatasaray's ambitious project, with the €75 million fee reflecting his reputation as one of Europe's elite strikers.

Manchester City invested heavily in Egyptian forward Omar Marmoush during the January 2025 transfer window.

Although the deal could reach €75 million, Marmoush has struggled to establish himself as a regular starter and has found opportunities limited at the Etihad Stadium.

Before his move to Turkey, Osimhen had already entered the record books with Napoli's club-record signing in 2020.

While the exact structure of the transfer has remained the subject of debate due to the player exchanges involved, the Nigerian's move is widely valued at around €71 million. His performances later justified the investment as he fired Napoli to a historic Serie A title.

Mahrez became one of Africa's biggest transfers when Manchester City signed him from Leicester City in 2018.

The Algerian winger went on to enjoy enormous success under Pep Guardiola, winning multiple Premier League titles, the Champions League and several domestic trophies before moving to Saudi Arabia.

Arsenal once again appear on the list through Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang's move from Borussia Dortmund.

The Gabon striker quickly became one of the Premier League's most prolific forwards, winning the Golden Boot and later captaining the Gunners.

Tottenham paid around €63 million to sign Ghana international Mohammed Kudus in 2025.

Injuries limited his impact during his debut campaign, but Spurs remain hopeful the talented attacker will justify the investment over the coming seasons.

Morocco defender Achraf Hakimi rounds off the top 10 after his move from Inter Milan to Paris Saint-Germain.

Already regarded as one of the world's finest full-backs, Hakimi has continued to establish himself among Europe's elite since arriving in the French capital.

Despite completing a high-profile move from Atalanta to Atletico Madrid, Ademola Lookman does not make the top 10.

The Super Eagles forward joined the Spanish giants in a deal worth €35 million, with a further €5 million in add-ons, taking the potential total to €40 million, which remains well short of the figures required to break into Africa's ten biggest transfers.