Coutinho To Barcelona The Most Expensive, Top Ten Costliest Nigerian Transfers In EPL

The transfer of Philippe Coutinho to Barcelona for an initial fee of 120 million euros is the highest ever transfer in the history of the English Premier League.

The Liverpool star will become the second most expensive player in the world behind Neymar when he completes his move to the Blaugrana next week.

The Brazil international will cost approximately four times Nigeria's most expensive player, Kelechi Iheanacho, who joined Leicester City from Manchester City last summer for €27.7 million.

Odion Ighalo's €23.3m switch from Watford to Changchun Yatai last January is the second most expensive Nigerian transfer involving a Premier League club.

For more than ten years, Super Eagles captain John Obi Mikel had been the costliest Nigerian transfer in the Premier League, with Chelsea paying Manchester United and Lyn Olso €20 million for his signature in 2006.

Ahmed Musa and Wilfred Ndidi's transfers to Leicester City complete the top five Nigerian transfers in the English top-flight.

Top Ten Most Expensive Nigerian Transfers Involving Premier League Clubs

1) Kelechi Iheanacho - Manchester City to Leicester City - €27.7m
2) Odion Ighalo - Watford to Changchun Yatai - €23.3m
3) Obi Mikel - Lyn Oslo to Chelsea - €20m
4) Ahmed Musa - CSKA to Leicester - €19.5m
5) Wilfred Ndidi - Genk to Leicester - €17.6m
6) Yakubu Aiyegbeni - Middlesbrough to Everton - €16.5m
7) Obafemi Martins - Inter Milan to Newcastle - €16m
8) Isaac Success - Granada to Watford - €15m
9) Brown Ideye - Dynamo Kiev to West Brom - €12.63m
10) Victor Moses - Wigan Athletic to Chelsea - €11.50m

Ifeanyi Emmanuel