For gamers, it's time for the raise. Especially since the winter transfer window 2020 remains the second biggest spender in the history of European football, with 889 billion euros invested, against 1.107 billion euros in 2019. These transfers have enabled some African players to leave championships certainly remunerative but of sporting level lower than those of the Old Continent. Others preferred the Middle East, like the Tunisian Anice Badri who left Esperance from Tunis for Ittihad in Jeddah (Saudi Arabia), where he will receive 1.5 million euros per year, multiplying his salary by five. Here are the five transfers to remember.
- Karl Toko-Ekambi (Cameroon) arrives in Lyon
African champion with Cameroon in 2017, the indomitable Lions striker took only eighteen months to return to France. Transferred in June 2018 from Angers to Villareal (Spain) for 20 million euros, and after a total of twenty-four goals scored with the Spanish team, Karl Toko-Ekambi (27) took a step by putting himself agreement with Lyon, still involved in the Champions League. OL paid 4 million euros for a paid loan, and will hopefully pay out 15.5 million euros, bonus included, next June, to acquire the player definitively. The Cameroonian did not miss his debut with Lyon, since he has already scored twice in three appearances. Before leaving for Spain, he totaled fifty-one professional goals, with Sochaux then Angers.
- Yassine Benzia (Algeria) arrives in Dijon
It’s the most surprising movement of winter. Yassine Benzia, trained in Lyon and presented as one of the most gifted of his generation, had been loaned since July by Lille to the Greek club Olympiakos Piraeus. But the experience ended, Yassine Benzia playing very little. The Algerian international, whom Lille bought in 2015, is no longer really part of the plans of the northern club, which had already loaned it in 2018-2019 to the Fenerbahce in Istanbul (Turkey). Accustomed to playing in formations at the top of the table of their respective championships, the player made the choice to return to France in Dijon, currently seventeenth in Ligue 1. A choice that surprised, even if the very technical midfielder The offensive player, who has not scored a goal since April 2018, seems to be stagnating.
- Odion Ighalo (Nigeria), from Shanghai to Manchester
Less than two years ago, Odion Ighalo, guilty in the eyes of some "Supporters" Nigerians for missing a goal against Argentina in the World Cup, was threatened with death. Today, the 30-year-old striker is integrated into one of the best clubs in the world. He left for China in 2017, he chained goals there (forty-six) and won tens of millions of euros, since he made 10.4 million euros a year in Shanghai. The Chinese club loaned him to the Red Devils until the end of the season. Odion Ighalo does not land in unknown land: in addition to being an English speaker, the Nigerian knows England very well where he played in Watford between 2014 and 2017.
- Youssef En-Nesyri (Morocco), from Madrid to Seville
The Andalusian club did not hesitate to spend 20 million euros to afford the services of the Leganés striker. Youssef En-Nesyri's transfer is one of the biggest of the season. At 22, the young player, who already has thirty caps with the Moroccan Atlas Lions (9 goals), has signed a long-term contract (five and a half). This explains the amount of the transfer. The native of Fez, trained at the Mohammed VI Academy, joined Spain in 2015. At that time, the Malaga club bought it for 125,000 euros, then resold 10 million euros in 2018 in Leganés. In eighteen months, the formation of the suburbs of Madrid thus achieved a capital gain of 10 million euros and, with Sevilla FC, the Moroccan will discover the Europa League.
- Edmond Tapsoba (Burkina Faso) arrives at Leverkusen
German clubs, renowned for their rigorous management, never do things by chance. Bayer Leverkusen, usually discreet on the transfer market, has nevertheless agreed to pay 20 million euros to acquire Edmond Tapsoba, the very young Burkinabé central defender (21 years old) from Vitoria Guimaraes (Portugal). Since the start of the season, Edmond Tapsoba, in addition to being a good defender, has stood out for his scoring skills (eight goals). Three years ago, the player played at US Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso, before his transfer to Leixoes, Portugal. International at 17, Edmond Tapsoba signed five years in Germany. The club wishing to acquire it before the end of its contract will have to offload 70 million euros, the amount of its release clause.
