Sports News of 2026-09-04
Bouaddi, Diomande, Yirenkyi: African players who made big moves in transfer window
The 2026 summer transfer window saw several African players securing huge deals to play for top clubs across Europe as they look to enhance their profiles.
Some of these players were bought for record transfer fees, with the most notable being Ivorian winger Yan Diomandé’s move from RB Leipzig to Real Madrid for over €120 million, making him the most expensive signing in the club’s history.
Moroccan midfielder Ayoub Bouaddi, Senegalese duo Iliman Ndiaye and Nicolas Jackson, as well as Cameroon’s Carlos Baleba, also completed big-money moves involving significant transfer fees.
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Legendary African footballer Mohamed Salah joined Trabzonspor on a free transfer after Liverpool opted not to renew his contract.
Ghanaian midfielder Caleb Yirenkyi also secured a move to the Premier League, joining his compatriot Thomas-Asante at Coventry City.
With these moves, expectations are high that the players will live up to the billing, prove their worth at their respective clubs, and ultimately elevate the reputation of African football on the global stage.
List of Players, Club Movements, and Transfer Fees:
Yan Diomandé (Côte d’Ivoire) — RB Leipzig ➡️ Real Madrid — €125m + up to €15m in bonuses
Ayoub Bouaddi (Morocco) — Lille ➡️ Manchester City — around €100m
Carlos Baleba (Cameroon) — Brighton ➡️ Manchester United — around £60m–£70m
Iliman Ndiaye (Senegal) — Everton ➡️ Manchester City — £65m
Nicolas Jackson (Senegal) — Chelsea ➡️ Aston Villa — up to £65m
Ibrahim Mbaye (Senegal) — PSG ➡️ Aston Villa — €55m (£47m)
Ismael Saibari (Morocco) — PSV ➡️ Bayern Munich — €50m + €5m add-ons
Bazoumana Touré (Côte d’Ivoire) — Hoffenheim ➡️ Newcastle United — €50m
Mamadou Sangaré (Mali) — Lens ➡️ Brentford — around €48m
Caleb Yirenkyi (Ghana) — FC Nordsjaelland ➡️ Coventry City — €27m
Mohamed Salah (Egypt) — Liverpool ➡️ Trabzonspor — Free transfer
SB/JKB
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