Top Ten: The most expensive Nigerian player transfers of 2022

As with their counterparts from every corner of the globe, several Nigerian footballers switched clubs in January and during the summer transfer window.

Soccernet.ng highlights the ten biggest transfer deals involving Nigerian stars in the year 2022.

10. Maduka Okoye: Sparta Rotterdam to Watford – €5m

Maduka Okoye completed an incredible rise from the fringes of the reserve team at Germany’s lower league club Fortuna Dusseldorf to becoming the undisputed number one goalkeeper at Sparta Rotterdam in a couple of years.

The Super Eagles goalkeeper was rewarded with a big-money move to Watford, a deal that was sealed in January. The five million euros that exchanged hands was the highest paid for any Nigerian goalkeeper in history.

Okoye only joined Watford in the summer but it has not gone according to plan at the moment as he has spent more time on the bench than on the pitch.

9. Cyriel Dessers: KRC Genk to US Cremonese – €6.50m

It was a spectacular 2021-2022 season for Dessers while on loan in the Netherlands at Feyenoord from KRC Genk.

The former Heracles Almelo forward powered Feyenoord to the final of the Europa Conference League with his ten goals making him the competition’s first-ever top scorer.

A host of clubs were interested in his services but newly-promoted Serie A side Cremonese paid over six million euros to win the race for his signature.

8. Joe Aribo: Glasgow Rangers to Southampton FC – €7.10m

A few years after making up the numbers in League One, Nigerian playmaker Joe Aribo played and scored in the final of the Europa League. Rangers lost that game to Eintracht Frankfurt but that match confirmed that Aribo was ripe for the English Premier League.

And Southampton beat other suitors to his services as Aribo fulfilled a life-long dream of playing in the world’s most glamorous league.

7. Ademola Lookman: RB Leipzig to Atalanta BC – €9.00m

Atalanta BSC pulled off a surprise move to convince Ademola Lookman to shun the lures of the English Premier League and switch to the Italian Serie A.

Leicester City were the favourites to snap Lookman up from Leipzig after he netted eight goals for the Foxes last season.

But Lookman signed for Atalanta instead and has already smashed seven goals in 15 appearances for the Blue-and-Blacks.

6. David Okereke: Club Brugge to Cremonese – €10m

While on loan in the Serie A from Club Brugge last season, Okereke enjoyed a fantastic year at Venezia FC, netting seven league goals.

Venezia were relegated, though and Okereke returned to Belgium.

But Cremonese had seen enough and were convinced of the quality of the former Spezia frontman. And the newly-promoted side splashed a then-club-record €10 million to bring Okereke back to Italy.

Okereke has scored three Serie A and two Coppa Italia goals since completing the move.

5. Raphael Onyedika: FC Midtjylland to Club Brugge KV – €10.00m

One of Nigeria’s most talented youngsters in Europe, Raphael Onyedika joined Belgian champions Club Brugge for 10 million euros in the summer. The 21-year-old reportedly snubbed Serie A champions AC Milan to team up with the Belgian giants.

Onyedika’s arrival in Brugge has already produced unforgettable moments as he helped FCB reach the knockout stage of the UEFA Champions League for the first time in their history.

4. Emmanuel Dennis: Watford to Nottingham Forest – €14.80m

Dennis was one of the revelations of the Premier League last season as he scored ten goals and added six assists in 33 games for Watford after joining from Club Brugge for €4 million.

The Hornets were relegated despite Dennis’s best efforts and it was no surprise to see the 25-year-old attacker jump ship when Nottingham Forest came calling.

He has managed one goal and one assist for the Tricky Trees in nine EPL games.

3. Umar Sadiq: Almeria to Real Sociedad – €20.00m

For two seasons, Umar Sadiq was the best striker and the most valuable player in the Spanish Segunda Division, causing nightmares for opposing defenders in the colours of Almeria.

Sadiq’s 18 goals and 12 assists propelled Almeria to La Liga promotion at the end of the 2021-22 season. 

Real Sociedad swooped in for the Kaduna-born goalscorer after he scored a goal in two matches for Almeria in the top flight.

The Super Eagles striker netted two goals in his first three matches for his new club before he suffered an unfortunate cruciate ligament rupture. He is ruled out of action for the rest of the campaign.

2. Taiwo Awoniyi: Union Berlin to Nottingham Forest – €20.50m

After deciding to leave Liverpool permanently last year, Awoniyi returned to familiar surroundings at Union Berlin and almost instantly became a club hero.

The former Golden Eaglets star netted 20 goals in all competitions for the Germans including 15 goals in 31 Bundesliga matches.

And the Nigerian striker jumped at the chance to return to his beloved Premier League when Nottingham Forest tabled a then-club-record €20.50m bid for his services.

Awoniyi has recorded three goals in 13 EPL games for the Reds.

1. Calvin Bassey: Glasgow Rangers to Ajax Amsterdam – €23.00m

Super Eagles full-back Calvin Bassey is the most expensive Nigerian player to be transferred in 2022.

The defender peaked for Glasgow Rangers in the first half of the year as his brilliance helped the Gers reach the final of the Europa League. Bassey was man-of-the-match in the title decider against Eintracht Frankfurt and he also made the tournament’s Best XI.

Dutch champions Ajax Amsterdam coughed out 23 million euros to take him to the Netherlands, making him the most expensive Nigerian defender in history.

The ten most expensive Nigerian player transfers of 2022

1. Calvin Bassey: Glasgow Rangers to Ajax Amsterdam – €23.00m
2. Taiwo Awoniyi: Union Berlin to Nottingham Forest – €20.50m
3. Umar Sadiq: Almeria to Real Sociedad – €20.00m
4. Emmanuel Dennis: Watford to Nottingham Forest – €14.80m
5. Raphael Onyedika: FC Midtjylland to Club Brugge KV – €10.00m
6. David Okereke: Club Brugge to Cremonese – €10m
7. Ademola Lookman: RB Leipzig to Atalanta BC – €9.00m
8. Joe Aribo: Glasgow Rangers to Southampton FC – €7.10m
9. Cyriel Dessers: KRC Genk to US Cremonese – €6.50m
10. Maduka Okoye: Sparta Rotterdam to Watford – €5m