When we mention players from Africa, we often think of them simply as "mercenaries," nothing more, nothing less. Some even believe that African players only play for mid-range clubs with paltry wages. However, throughout history, there have been many outstanding African players. They play at the highest level and receive hefty salaries. Moreover, the post-tax treatment for these stars is the envy of many. In this article, Wintips will share with you the list of 10 highest paid African footballer. Read on below.
Highest paid African footballer - Who is No 1?
1/ Riyad Mahrez (Al Ahli - £858,944/week)
This deal was announced by Al-Ahli FC (Saudi Arabia) on Twitter with a nearly 1-minute long video. Simultaneously, Manchester City also confirmed the transfer, expressing their gratitude to Riyad Mahrez. He concluded his 5-year spell at Etihad Stadium with 236 appearances across all competitions. During his time there, the Algerian star scored 78 goals and provided 59 assists.
Although the details of the contract were not disclosed, according to English media reports, Al-Ahli had to pay £30 million to Manchester City to secure Mahrez's signature. Moving to Saudi Arabia, the Algerian star will enjoy a highly lucrative salary of £858,944 per week. He becomes the second star to join Al-Ahli in the summer of 2023.
2/ Sadio Mane (Al Nassr - £658,194/week) - Best highest paid African footballer
The 31 year old Senegalese striker has completed his medical examination and officially signed a 4-year contract with the team that finished runners-up in the 2023 Saudi Pro-League. At Al-Nassr, Mane will become teammates with Cristiano Ronaldo and the three new signings Alex Telles, Marcelo Brozovic and Seko Fofana.
With a weekly income of over £658,194 after taxes, Mane becomes the second highest-paid African footballer in history. Despite enjoying considerable success in Liverpool's colors, Mane's form seemed to decline drastically after joining Bayern Munich with a staggering salary of £17 million per season, and he struggled to find regular playing time.
3/ Kalidou Koulibaly (Al Hilal - £570,984/week) - Best highest paid African footballer
Koulibaly's departure from the Premier League came just a year after joining Chelsea from Napoli for a fee of £34 million. According to The Sun, the Senegalese defender is now earning nearly £300,000 per week at his new club, almost doubling his income compared to his time at Chelsea (£160,000 per week).
Chelsea confirmed Koulibaly's departure on their 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 sole season at Stamford Bridge."
4/ Mohamed Salah (Liverpool - £300,000/week)
After losing Sadio Mane to Bayern Munich, Liverpool went all out to retain forward Mohamed Salah. Like Mane, the Egyptian player's contract was set to expire in 2023. However, negotiations between the two parties had been continuously deadlocked in recent times. Nevertheless, Liverpool eventually made a breakthrough in this matter.
According to the Daily Mail, Liverpool agreed to pay Salah £300,000 per week. With this income, the Egyptian star became the highest-paid player in the club's history. Salah's previous salary at Liverpool was only £200,000 per week. In contrast, the highest earner at The Kop prior to Salah's new deal was Virgil van Dijk, who earned £220,000 per week.
5/ Seko Fofana (Al Nassr - £250,114/week) - Best highest paid African footballer
Saudi Arabian media reported that Al Nassr has successfully secured the services of midfielder Seko Fofana from Lens FC in Ligue 1. According to the reports, Ronaldo's team had to pay a transfer fee of around £32 million to acquire the Ivorian midfielder. Previously, Fofana had been pursued by giants like Liverpool and Manchester City.
According to experts, although Fofana has not reached a global level yet, he belongs to the modern box-to-box midfielder type, with the ability to cover large areas of the pitch and have a comprehensive view of the game. Al Nassr coach Luis Castro believes that the Ivorian midfielder is the perfect fit to play alongside Marcelo Brozovic, who also recently joined the Riyadh-based club from Inter Milan.
6/ Achraf Hakimi (PSG - £239,418/week) - Best highest paid African footballer
After 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 an €11 million add-on fee. The Moroccan player will sign a 5-year contract with the Parc des Princes-based club and will receive an annual salary of €8 million. He will wear the number 2 jersey at his new club.
Hakimi becomes the most expensive defender in PSG's history. Previously, this record belonged to David Luiz's transfer from Chelsea for €49.5 million in the 2014/15 season. The 22-year-old defender is also the third most expensive signing for the Parisian club, behind Neymar (€222 million) and Kylian Mbappe (€145 million).
7/ Franck Kessie (Al Ahli - £230,368/week)
Moving to Saudi Arabia to play for Al-Ahli, midfielder Franck Kessie receives a rather lucrative salary, three times higher than what he earned at Barcelona. Last summer, Franck Kessie arrived at Barca from Milan on a free transfer. Just one year into his three-year contract with a release clause of €500 million. The 26-year-old midfielder has to leave Nou Camp this summer due to a lack of trust from coach Xavi and failure to adapt to the playing style of the Catalan club.
According to The Athletic, Barcelona have reached an agreement to sell Kessie to Al-Ahli for €15 million. The Saudi Arabian club has scheduled a medical examination 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) - Best highest paid African footballer
Victor Osimhen has signed a new contract with Napoli until June 2026. The Nigerian striker will see his salary increase to €10 million per season after taxes with this new deal. Additionally, there will be a release clause, reportedly set at €120-130 million, which will only be valid for clubs outside of Italy from the summer of 2024 onwards.
In the past, Napoli paid €75 million plus bonuses to sign Osimhen from Lille in September 2020. Quickly adapting to Italy, Osimhen was a key factor in Napoli's impressive Serie A title victory last season, and he also clinched the Serie A Golden Boot for the 2022/23 season.
9/ Thomas Partey (Arsenal - £200,000/week) - Best highest paid African footballer
In recent seasons, Thomas Partey has maintained an incredibly high level of performance. Born in 1997, the strong and astute midfielder possesses the qualities of a leader, and he will enhance the combativeness and strength of Arsenal's midfield.
To secure Partey's signature, Arsenal had to pay the full £42.5 million release clause of his contract. The salary of the Ghanaian midfielder at the Emirates has also been revealed. Arsenal pays Partey £260,000 per week, which is four times higher than what he received at Atletico Madrid previously (£65,000 per week).
10/ Iñaki Williams (Athletic Bilbao - £187,585/week)
In the winter transfer window nine months ago, Liverpool also expressed their desire to sign Inaki Williams. However, the Basque club refused to sell him. In order to tie down the "gem," Athletic and Inaki signed a new contract lasting until 2021.
Inaki continued to display consistent form this season, and once again Liverpool expressed their ambition. This time, The Kop is said to be willing to stack up €50 million to trigger the release clause of Inaki Williams' contract to acquire the talent born in 1994.
Conclude
In conclusion, the top 10 highest paid African footballer of all time represent 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 and paved the way for future generations, showcasing their skills and commanding substantial wages at top clubs worldwide. Their success highlights the growing recognition and value placed on 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
