Yan Diomande becomes Africa’s most expensive footballer after €125m Real Madrid move

Soccer player in a Real Madrid jersey, smiling with fists raised in a celebratory pose against a plain blue-gray background.

By Jamaldeen Wiayuka August 7, 2026

Ivory Coast forward Yan Diomande has become the most expensive African footballer in history after completing a reported €125m move from RB Leipzig to Real Madrid.

The blockbuster transfer puts the Ivorian at the top of the all-time list of African transfers, surpassing the previous record set by compatriot Nicolas Pepe.

Pepe’s €80m move from Lille to Arsenal in 2019 now ranks second, while Nigeria striker Victor Osimhen’s €78.9m transfer from Lille to Napoli sits third.

Diomande’s move marks another significant milestone for African footballers, whose value in the international transfer market has continued to rise.

Africa’s top 10 transfers

Yan Diomande – RB Leipzig to Real Madrid: €125m
Nicolas Pepe – Lille to Arsenal: €80m
Victor Osimhen – Lille to Napoli: €78.9m
Victor Osimhen – Napoli to Galatasaray: €75m
Omar Marmoush – Eintracht Frankfurt to Manchester City: €75m
Bryan Mbeumo – Brentford to Manchester United: €75m
Antoine Semenyo – Bournemouth to Manchester City: €72m
Achraf Hakimi – Inter Milan to Paris St-Germain: €68m
Riyad Mahrez – Leicester City to Manchester City: €67.8m
Mohammed Kudus – West Ham United to Tottenham Hotspur: €63.8m

The list features players from eight different African countries and highlights the growing financial influence of African talent in the global game.

One notable case is DR Congo forward Cedric Bakambu, whose 2018 move from Villarreal to Beijing Guoan was worth €40m in direct transfer fees.

The Chinese club was also required to pay a 100% tax levy of €34m to the Chinese Football Association, taking its total financial outlay to €74m. However, because the additional payment was a tax rather than a transfer fee to Villarreal, Bakambu’s move does not make the top 10.

With more than €750m spent on the ten highest-value deals, the figures underline how African players have become increasingly valuable assets in the world’s biggest football markets.

For Diomande, however, the record comes with a new challenge: proving that his €125m price tag can be matched by performances on the pitch at one of the biggest clubs in world football.