JamzNG Latest News, Gist, Entertainment in Nigeria
Nigerian international football star Victor Osimhen has been overtaken by Cameroonian Bryan Mbeumo to emerge as the joint most valuable player in Africa alongside Achraf Hakimi in the latest market value rankings.
The Cameroon striker is now valued at €80 million, the same as Paris Saint-Germain and Morocco defender Hakimi, while Osimhen has dropped to third place at €75 million alongside Ghanaian Antoine Semenyo.
The updated Transfermarkt figures show significant changes at the top of African football’s scoring hierarchy, with Mbeumo’s rise reflecting his club performance and growing influence at Manchester United, while Osimhen’s value has remained stagnant since his move to Galatasaray in 2025.
Osimhen, who reached a career-high valuation of €120 million during his time at Napoli in June 2023, is now worth €75 million, the same figure he brought in his transfer to Turkey.
Although he remains the most valuable player in the Süper Lig and Galatasaray, as well as the highest valued player in Nigeria, the 27-year-old’s position is influenced by a combination of market factors.
READ ALSO: Nigeria, UK to sign £746m deal to modernize countries’ ports
At 27, Osimhen is also the oldest among Africa’s 10 most valuable players, a factor that often influences his long-term assessment compared to young talents such as Carlos Baleba, 22, and Amad Diallo, 23.
The data shows a strong concentration of attacking players on the list, with six of the top 10 players operating primarily as forwards or wingers, including Mbeumo, Semenyo, Omar Marmoush, Mohammed Kudus and Iliman Ndiaye.
Defensively, only Hakimi managed to break into the elite bracket.
Osimhen is now ranked 41st globally and eighth among center forwards, contrasting his ranking as one of the elite players with a decline in the continental rankings.
According to Transfermarkt area manager for Türkiye Lara Karacan, Osimhen’s assessment reflects not only his performance but also his commercial and global appeal.
“Osimhen is a brand. He’s not just a player, he’s a figure in football,” he said on the Market Values podcast, explaining why his valuation remains stagnant despite uncertainty over his transfer potential.
