Table of Contents
- Over the years, there have been African transfers that have shocked the football world
- Some of the top players moved to clubs that no one would expect
- For some of them, money played a motivation factor
Which are the most shocking African transfers in football? Joao Felix recently left the football world stunned after securing a move to Saudi Pro League side Al-Nassr. The 25-year-old was ranked among the best young footballers in the world in the late 2010s.
Atletico Madrid paid Benfica €126 million to sign him from Benfica. Despite starting his career on a high note with Atletico, things didn’t quite go well for him there and he was loaned out before eventually being sold to Chelsea. Felix also struggled to impress at Chelsea and was loaned out to AC Milan last season before being sold to Al-Nassr this summer.
While the Saudi Pro League has been investing in top players in recent years, some argue that Felix joining to Al-Nassr is a downgrade. On that note, let’s take a look at the most shocking African transfers in football.
1. Kevin-Prince Boateng to Barcelona
Kevin-Prince Boateng to Barcelona is one of the most shocking African transfers in football. Photo: Goal.com
In the winter transfer window of the 2018–19 season, Barcelona signed Kevin-Prince Boateng on loan since they were in desperate need of a goalscorer. There was some innovative thinking behind the acquisition, even though it appeared to be an unusual fit at first glance.
Boateng was flexible, could find the back of the net, and had experience playing for some of the biggest European clubs. However, at the time, he played for Sassuolo, and despite being well past his prime, he could not leave an impression in Catalonia during his short time there.
2. Mbulelo Mabizela to Tottenham Hotspur
Mabizela, like Khumalo, was another problematic Spurs acquisition from the PSL. He was bought around the same time when the North London giants had different ties with South African teams. Mabizela came from the same league as Khumalo.
Old John, much like Khumalo, has shown that he could be an effective player on the domestic scene. He went on to achieve legendary status with Mamelodi Sundowns, but he was unsuccessful with Spurs.
The move from the Premier Soccer League to the South African (PSL) was going to be a significant step up for Mabizela. However, he scored a spectacular goal in his Premier League debut against Leicester City.
3. Papy Djilobodji to Chelsea
Papy Djilobodji. Photo: Getty Images
Djilobodji was a respectable defender in Ligue 1 for Nantes, but he had not shown anything to indicate his ability to play for Chelsea. As a result, it surprised many people when Jose Mourinho decided to bring him to Stamford Bridge in 2015 for an initial fee of £2.7 million.
The Senegalese international player only appeared for 62 seconds during a League Cup win against Walsall before moving on to Sunderland 11 months later (where he would eventually be relegated).
Gaziantep, a Turkish club, have signed him to their roster at the moment. The 36-year-old currently plays for Fatih Karagümrük in the Turkish league.
4. Jay-Jay Okocha to Bolton Wanderers
Jay-Jay to Bolton Wanderers is one of the most shocking African transfers in football history. Photo: The Bolton
After a promising performance at the World Cup with Nigeria, Jay-Jay Okocha departed PSG on a free transfer in 2002. At the time, he had a number of alternatives available to him.
As a result, it came a bit of shock when he decided to sign with the unflashy Bolton Wanderers and pursue the possibility of working together with Sam Allardyce. In the end, it emerged as one of the most spectacular moments in the club’s history, with the Nigerian alongside the likes of Fernando Hierro and Ivan Campo, but at the moment, it was still a weird choice!
5. Samuel Eto’o to Anzhi Makhachkala
Samuel Eto’o of FC Anzhi Makhachkala celebrates after scoring a goal during a match between FC Dynamo Moscow and FC Anzhi Makhachkala March 05, 2012. Photo: Getty Images
In 2011, Eto’o was at the pinnacle of his career, as evidenced by the fact that he scored two goals in Internazionale’s triumph over Palermo in the Coppa Italia final. The previous two years, he had won the European Triple Crown with both Barcelona and Inter, making him the only player in history to accomplish this feat with two different clubs in successive seasons.
The striker had a number of options available to him regarding where he would play next. However, he decided to sign with Anzhi Makhachkala, a team from Dagestan that was relatively unknown at the time but was spending a lot of money in an effort to become a dominant force in European soccer.
6. Ighalo Odion to Manchester United
It appeared that Ighalo’s time in the Premier League was over when he moved in 2017 from Watford to Changchun Yatai. This was one of the most shocking African transfers in football.
Ighalo seemed to have lost his way after playing a significant role in the Hornets’ promotion to the first division. He scored once in the league during the 2016–17 season despite playing in 18 matches.
Surprisingly, Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, the former head coach of Manchester United, made a peculiar decision to select him in the year 2020 when he needed further striking reinforcements.
