Top 8 highest-paid African footballers

Football is by far the most popular sport globally. Like other continents, Africa hasn’t been left behind in producing some of football’s best players. Apart from representing their countries these players, have joined various top clubs where they are not being left out when it comes to hefty paychecks.

In fact, some African football players earn far more than some of their European or American counterparts. Most African players that receive fat wages and sponsorship deals worth millions of pounds are either playing in the English Premier League, Spanish La Liga, Bundesliga, or the Chinese Super League.

Ghanaweb looks at 8 African footballers who are on high salaries with their respective clubs.

1. Kalidou Koulibay

The Senegalese defender is currently the highest-paid African football in the World with weekly wages of £412,00 following his €25 million move from Chelsea to Saudi Arabia side Al Hilal.

2. Mohammed Sallah

The Liverpool forward and Egyptian international is the second highest-paid African football with a weekly salary of £400,000 and the most paid in the English Premier League. Salah has been an integral member of Jurgen Klopp’s side since joining the Reds in 2017 from AS Roma. The 31-year-old winger has won all titles with the English side in his six-year stay.

3. Edouard Mendy

The Senegalese goalkeeper crossed paths to join Saudi Arabia spending side Al Hilal in July after failing to retain his first-choice spot at Chelsea.

Mendy, 31, joined for a fee of £16 million and is currently earning an amount of £270,000 per week, making him the third highest-paid African footballer.

4. Sadio Mane

The Senegalese forward does not seem elated with his move to Bayern Munich in the German Bundesliga despite being on weekly wages of £250,000.

At 31, Mane could be on his way out of the Allianz Arena after just a season with the Bavarians with top Saudi Arabia spending clubs eager to capture the former Liverpool marksman.

5. Achraf Hakimi

The Moroccan defender earns around £250,000 weekly with French giants Paris Saint-Germain at just age 24. Though the right-back has two more years left on his five-year contract with PSG, he is being monitored by English side Manchester City as a possible replacement for Kyle Walker should Bayern Munich snap up Walker in the coming days.

6. Thomas Partey

The Ghanaian international is the highest-paid Ghanaian in the English Premiership with weekly wages of £200,000 from Arsenal. He joined the Gunners in 2020 from Atletico Madrid for a fee of £45 million becoming the most expensive Ghanaian footballer of all time.

At age 30, Partey is one of the highest-earning players in Arsenal and the second-most-paid African footballer in the English Premiership.

7. Riyad Mahrez

The Algerian international and Manchester City winger goes home with £160,000 per week. He was instrumental for Pep Guardiola’s side when they clinched the UEFA Champions League in 2023 and has been an important part of the team since he joined from Leicester City in 2018, winning the league title on four occasions.

8. Nicholas Pepe

The Ivorian International and Arsenal star is one of Arsenal’s highest earners, taking home a reported £ 140,000 per week despite his last appearance for the club coming in a 5-1 Premier League win over Everton in May 2022.

Following his unsuccessful stint with Arsenal, he was loaned out to French Ligue 1 outfit, OG Nice where he made 19 appearances and scored six goals.

Ahead of the 2023/24 season, the 28-year-old winger is not certain about his future as he has been left of Mikel Arteta’s squad for Arsenal’s pre-season campaign.