Nigerian Transfer Record Falls For 4th Time In 3 Years : Napoli To Make Osimhen Most Expensive Player

Lille striker Victor Osimhen will become the most expensive Nigerian player in history when he completes his move to Napoli in the coming days.

Italian transfer market expert Gianluca Di Marzio, a tier one source, writes on his website that Napoli have reached a club-to-club agreement with Lille for the signing of the Nigeria international.

Excluding performance-related add ons, Osimhen will cost Napoli 50 million euros, and will pocket a guaranteed 20 million euros (N10.5 billion) after tax over the duration of his contract.

The Nigerian transfer record has fallen four times in the last three and a half years, starting from Odion Ighalo who was sold by Watford for 23m euros in January 2017, then Iheanacho cost Leicester City around 27.5m euros six months later, before Alex Iwobi's record-breaking move from Arsenal to Everton for 38m euros including bonuses last summer.

In January 2017, Wolfsburg signed Osimhen from Ultimate Strikers Academy for 3.5 million euros and Lille paid 14 million euros to sign him from Sporting Charleroi in August 2019.

Ivory Coast international Nicolas Pepe is the most expensive African player of all time, with Lille pocketing 80m euros from his sale to Arsenal last summer.

Ifeanyi Emmanuel