Football: Top 4 biggest 2025-26 summer transfers involving Nigerian players
by Devesh Jaganath | by Cydias Aujard
Victor Osimhen - Napoli to Galatasaray
Nigerian international and former African Footballer of the Year, Victor Osimhen, became the headline transfer of the 2025-26 transfer window, following his massive move from Serie A champions Napoli to Galatasaray.
The Super Eagles striker made his move to Istanbul a permanent one last month after spending a season on loan with the team. Gala forked over a staggering €75m to secure the services of Super Eagles marksman, making him the most expensive signing in the history of the Super Lig.
The 26-year-old netted 37 goals and provided eight assists in 41 matches across all competitions for Cimbom last season, leading the team to a domestic double, including the Super Lig title and the Turkish Cup.
Tolu Arokodare - KRC Genk to Wolverhampton Wanderers
One Super Eagles player who has enjoyed a rapid rise over the past year is Tolu Arokodare, who was the cornerstone of KRC Genk’s impressive 2024-25 campaign. In 45 games across all competitions, Arokodare registered 23 goals and seven assists, which put him on the radar of several clubs across Europe.
The 24-year-old also made his first real impact for the Super Eagles last season, scoring against Russia to salvage a draw for Eric Chelle’s side. While there was plenty of interest shown by clubs in France and Germany, it was Premier League outfit Wolverhampton Wanderers who finally secured his signature.
Wolves lost their talisman Matheus Cunha to Manchester United early in the transfer window and eventually settled on a fee of €26m to bring Arokodare to Molineux, where he is expected to compete with Jorgen Strand Larsen for the starting number nine role.
Wilfred Ndidi - Leicester City to Besiktas
One Nigerian player who will meet Osimhen in the Super Lig this season is Wilfred Ndidi, who opted to part ways with Leicester City in the summer following their relegation to the EFL Championship last term.
Ndidi joined the Foxes in the 2016-17 season after their fairytale Premier League title-winning campaign and has spent almost a decade with the club, during which they won the FA Cup, while he also helped them earn promotion back to the top flight in 2023-24.
The 28-year-old midfielder was contracted to remain at the King Power until the summer of 2027, but Besiktas opted to activate the €9m release clause in his contract to bring him to the Tupras Stadyumu on a three-year deal.
Victor Boniface - Bayer Leverkusen to Werder Bremen (loan)
Victor Boniface endured a challenging 2024-25 Bundesliga season, with injuries restricting him to just 27 appearances across all competitions for Bayer Leverkusen, who were looking to move the Super Eagles forward during the transfer window.
The 24-year-old was on the verge of moving to Serie A champions AC Milan last month, but the deal fell through after he failed his medical assessments, with the Italian giants revealing they had concerns over his recovery.
After a strongly worded response regarding his failed transfer move on social media, Boniface was snapped up by Werder Bremen on deadline day in a loan deal for the remainder of the season. It is understood that Die Werkself are still likely to look to offload him again next summer.
