When discussing African players, some may perceive them merely as "mercenaries" and nothing beyond that. Some even believe that African players only play for mid-tier clubs with modest salaries. However, throughout history, many outstanding African players have defied these stereotypes. They have competed at the highest level and earned lucrative salaries. Moreover, their after-tax earnings are the envy of many. In this article, Wintips will share with you who is the highest paid African footballer. Read on below.
Highest paid African footballer - Who is No 1?
1. Riyad Mahrez (Al Ahli - £858,944/week)
Al-Ahli FC (Saudi Arabia) announced this deal on Twitter through a nearly one-minute-long video. At the same time, Manchester City confirmed the transfer and expressed their gratitude to Riyad Mahrez. He ended his five-year tenure at Etihad Stadium with 236 appearances across all competitions. During his tenure, the Algerian star scored 78 goals and registered 59 assists.
According to English media reports, although the details of the contract were not disclosed, Al-Ahli reportedly paid £30 million to Manchester City to secure Mahrez's signature. Upon his move to Saudi Arabia, the Algerian star will enjoy a highly lucrative salary of £858,944 per week. He has become the second star to join Al-Ahli in the summer of 2023.
2. Sadio Mane (Al Nassr - £658,194/week) - The best highest paid African footballer
The 31-year-old Senegalese striker has completed his medical examination and officially signed a four-year contract with the 2023 Saudi Pro-League runners-up. At Al-Nassr, Mane will become a teammate of Cristiano Ronaldo and the three new signings, Alex Telles, Marcelo Brozovic, and Seko Fofana.
With a weekly income of over £658,194 after taxes, Mané has become the second-highest-paid African footballer in history. Despite achieving considerable success in Liverpool’s colors, Mané’s form declined significantly after joining Bayern Munich on a staggering £17 million per season salary, and he struggled to secure regular playing time.
3. Kalidou Koulibaly (Al Hilal - £570,984/week) - The best highest paid African footballer
Koulibaly left the Premier League just one year after joining Chelsea from Napoli for a transfer fee of £34 million. According to The Sun, the Senegalese defender now earns nearly £300,000 per week at his new club—almost doubling his previous salary of £160,000 per week at Chelsea.
Chelsea confirmed Koulibaly's departure on its official website: "Kalidou Koulibaly has left Chelsea after completing a transfer to Al Hilal. The defender arrived from Napoli last summer and made 32 appearances for the Blues in his only season at Stamford Bridge."
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4. Mohamed Salah (Liverpool - £300,000/week)
After losing Sadio Mane to Bayern Munich, Liverpool made every effort to retain forward Mohamed Salah. Like Mane, Mohamed Salah's contract was set to expire in 2023. However, negotiations between the two parties have recently been deadlocked. Nevertheless, Liverpool made a breakthrough in this matter.
According to The Daily Mail, Liverpool agreed to pay Salah £300,000 per week. With this salary, the Egyptian star became the highest-paid player in the club’s history. Salah’s previous salary at Liverpool was £200,000 per week. Before Salah’s new deal, the highest-paid player at The Kop was Virgil van Dijk, who earned £220,000 per week.
5. Seko Fofana (Al Nassr - £250,114/week) - The best highest paid African footballer
Saudi Arabian media reported that Al Nassr successfully secured the services of midfielder Seko Fofana from Lens FC in Ligue 1. According to reports, Ronaldo’s team paid a transfer fee of approximately £32 million to acquire the Ivorian midfielder. Before joining Al Nassr, Fofana was pursued by European giants such as Liverpool and Manchester City.
According to experts, although Fofana has yet to reach a global level, he belongs to the modern box-to-box midfielder category, with the ability to cover large areas of the pitch and maintain a comprehensive view of the game. Al Nassr coach Luis Castro believes that the Ivorian midfielder is the perfect fit for playing alongside Marcelo Brozovic, who also recently joined the Riyadh-based club from Inter Milan.
6. Achraf Hakimi (PSG - £239,418/week) - The best highest paid African footballer
After an extensive pursuit, PSG has officially announced the signing of Hakimi from Inter Milan. The price tag for this deal is €71 million, including €60 million paid upfront and €11 million in add-ons. The Moroccan player will sign a five-year contract with the Parc des Princes-based club and will receive an annual salary of €8 million. He will wear the No. 2 jersey at his new club.
Hakimi has become the most expensive defender in PSG's history. Before Hakimi's arrival, this record belonged to David Luiz, who transferred from Chelsea for €49.5 million during the 2014/15 season. At 22 years old, Hakimi is also the third-most expensive signing for the Parisian club, behind Neymar (€222 million) and Kylian Mbappé (€145 million).
7. Franck Kessie (Al Ahli - £230,368/week)
After moving to Saudi Arabia to join Al-Ahli, midfielder Franck Kessié earns a lucrative salary—three times higher than what he earned at Barcelona. Last summer, Franck Kessié joined Barça from AC Milan on a free transfer. He left just one year into his three-year contract, which included a €500 million release clause. The 26-year-old midfielder had to leave Camp Nou this summer due to a lack of trust in coach Xavi and his inability to adapt to the Catalan club’s playing style.
According to The Athletic, Barcelona has reached an agreement to sell Kessie to Al-Ahli for €15 million. The Saudi club has scheduled a medical for the former AC Milan star. The Ivorian international has agreed to a three-year contract with Al-Ahli.
8. Victor Osimhen (Napoli - £211,000/week) - The best highest paid African footballer
Victor Osimhen has signed a new contract with Napoli until June 2026. The Nigerian striker's salary will rise to €10 million per season after taxes with this new deal. Additionally, a release clause reportedly set at €120-130 million will be valid only for clubs outside of Italy starting in the summer of 2024.
Napoli previously paid €75 million plus bonuses to sign Osimhen from Lille in September 2020. Having quickly adapted to Italian football, Osimhen played a crucial role in Napoli’s impressive Serie A title victory last season and also secured the Serie A Golden Boot for the 2022/23 season.
9. Thomas Partey (Arsenal - £200,000/week) - The best highest paid African footballer
In recent seasons, Thomas Partey has consistently performed at an exceptionally high level. Born in 1993, the strong and intelligent midfielder possesses leadership qualities and will further strengthen Arsenal’s midfield.
To sign Partey, Arsenal had to trigger his full £42.5 million release clause. Partey's salary at the Emirates has also been disclosed. Arsenal pay Partey £260,000 per week, which is four times what he earned at Atletico Madrid (£65,000 per week).
10. Iñaki Williams (Athletic Bilbao - £187,585/week)
Nine months ago, Liverpool showed interest in signing Inaki Williams. However, the Basque club refused to sell him. To secure their "gem," Athletic and Inaki agreed on a new contract, which lasted until 2021.
Iñaki Williams has continued to display consistent form this season, and once again, Liverpool has expressed its ambition. This time, The Kop is reportedly willing to offer up to €50 million to trigger the release clause in Iñaki Williams' contract and acquire the forward, who was born in 1994.
Conclusion
In conclusion, the highest-paid African footballer of all time represents not only exceptional talent on the field but also the significant strides made by African players in the global football arena. These athletes have shattered stereotypes, paved the way for future generations, showcased their skills, and commanded substantial wages at top clubs worldwide. Their success highlights the increasing recognition and value attributed to African talent in the football world. If you love sports content like this, visit the bookmaker ranking website every day.
See also: Best African soccer players in history - 10 Black Continent Football Legends
