Mbuemo overtakes Osimhen as Africa’s most valuable player

Bryan Mbeumo has overtaken Victor Osimhen to emerge as Africa’s joint most valuable player alongside Achraf Hakimi in the latest market value rankings, PUNCH Sports Extra reports.

The Cameroonian forward now holds a valuation of €80m, matching that of Paris Saint-Germain and Morocco defender Hakimi, while Osimhen drops to joint-third place at €75m alongside Ghana’s Antoine Semenyo.

The updated Transfermarkt figures underscore a significant shift at the top of African football’s valuation hierarchy, with Mbeumo’s rise reflecting both his club performances 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 €120m during his time at Napoli in June 2023, now sits at €75m, the same figure he carried into his transfer to Turkey.

Despite remaining the most valuable player in the Süper Lig and at Galatasaray, as well as Nigeria’s highest-valued player, the 27-year-old’s position has been affected by a combination of market factors.

At 27, Osimhen is also the oldest player among the top 10 most valuable African players, a factor that often influences long-term valuation compared to younger talents such as Carlos Baleba, 22, and Amad Diallo, 23.

Data shows a strong concentration of attacking players in the list, with six of the top 10 operating primarily as forwards or wingers, including Mbeumo, Semenyo, Omar Marmoush, Mohammed Kudus and Iliman Ndiaye.

Defensively, only Hakimi breaks into the elite bracket, which underlines the premium placed on attacking output in modern valuations.

Osimhen now ranks 41st globally and eighth among centre-forwards, which is in contrast to his rating as one of the elite players with the drop in continental ranking.

According to Transfermarkt area manager for Turkey Lara Karacan, Osimhen’s valuation reflects not only his performances but also his commercial and global appeal.

“Osimhen is a brand. He is not only a player, he is a figure in football,” she said on the Market Values podcast, explaining why his valuation has remained stagnant despite uncertainties over a potential transfer.

Restrictions linked to his move from Napoli to Galatasaray have further narrowed his options, with Italian clubs effectively ruled out due to contractual clauses, leaving the Premier League as the most realistic destination for any future move.

“I think the only league that can afford that is the Premier League, and there were literally no rumours,” Karacan added.

Despite scoring 11 goals in 18 league matches and impressing in the early stages of the Champions League, questions remain about his impact in decisive high-level fixtures, which analysts believe is crucial to attracting top-tier interest.

Osimhen has shown brightly this season at the biggest stage, being among the Champions League’s top scorers in the early phase of the competition and leading the Turkish champions to their first round of 16 appearance in the tournament since 2014. (Punch)