Nigeria’s Five Most Expensive Footballers Of All Time

By Ekene Dike

The transfer window is an exceedingly active period in the football calendar. It is divided into the summer and winter transfer windows.

The summer transfer window begins in July and ends in August while the winter transfer window is open in January.

There have been a couple of fascinating transfer deals made by Nigerians in the past.

The recent move by Victor Moses to Inter Milan during the January transfer window was made the football headlines around the world and especially in Africa.

Moses has by that added to the list of Nigerians who played for the Nerrazuri. The likes of Obafemi Martins and Taribo West plied their trade with Inter Milan and had good spells.

However, these are the top five most mammoth transfer deals made by Nigerians:

ALEX IWOBI ( ARSENAL TO EVERTON FOR £40m):

The 23 year old’s move to Everton made him the most expensive Nigerian footballer. After the arrival of Nicolas Pepe for a club-record transfer fee of £72 million, the Nigerian had to go and seek for greener pastures in another club and Everton came knocking on the door.

It was a good move by him considering the fact that Nicolas Pepe came to complete a tripartite formula inclusive of Alexander Lacazette and Pierre Emerick Aubameyang.

KELECHI IHEANACHO (MANCHESTER CITY TO LEICESTER CITY FOR £25): Pep Guardiola’s preference for Gabriel Jesus and Sergio Aguero limited the chances of the left footed goalscoring machine. It was imperative to leave the Etihad Stadium after falling down the pecking order.

Regular playtime is a quest desired by any footballer and Ihenacho’s bid would hardly be surprising.

ADEMOLA LUKMAN (EVERTON TO RB LIEPZIG FOR £22.5 million): The 22 year old just switched allegiance to the Super Eagles after featuring for English youth sides. He is fit and proper to play for the Super Eagles regarding the fact that he hasn’t featured for the senior team of the Three Lions of England.

After a loan spell to Liepzig , he made a permanent move to the German side after helping them secure qualification for the UEFA Champions League.

ODION IGHALO (WATFORD TO CHANGCHUN YATAI FOR £20 million): After a stellar career in the English Premier League with Watford, the reliable goal poacher craved for a new challenge and succeeded in joining other talented footballers in the Chinese Super League.

Although, there are controversies surrounding his decision to go to China to play football.

JOHN OBI MIKEL (LYN OSLO TO CHELSEA £18 million): John Obi Mikel’s large influence  on the Nigerian U-20 team that finished second in the FIFA U-20 World Cup in Netherlands in 2008 was acknowledged by Chelsea and Manchester United.

The talented midfielder was in a state of sixes and sevens as to where to continue his professional career. He eventually joined Chelsea in 2006 where he won the English Premier League, Fa Cup, Carling Cup and UEFA Champions League.

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