The most expensive African player in history since 2019 and his XXL transfer from Losc to Arsenal for 80 million euros, Nicolas Pépé did not play in the 2025 African Cup of Nations in Morocco. The left-handed winger from Villarreal was dismissed by the Ivory Coast federation after awkward comments about his teammate Alban Lafont (who was naturalized in the run-up to the CAN). The Elephants of Emerse Faé, eliminated in the quarter-finals by Egypt (3-2), were able to count on Amad Diallo as an offensive crack, but also on the young prodigy Yan Diomandé.
Diomandé has had an impressive season with RB Leipzig and has continued to do damage on the Bundesliga pitches since his return from the CAN. The untenable left winger has 10 goals and 5 assists, being the best dribbler in the championship by far (3.5 successful dribbles per match, far ahead of Luis Diaz and Michael Olise both at 2.2 successful dribbles per match).
A price set at 100 million euros!
Leipzig, who recruited the player from LeganĂ©s last summer for 20 million euros, have obviously set the price of this “Ivorian Lamine Yamal” at 100 million euros! After Manchester United or PSG, it is Bayern Munich, according to Fichajes, which would be interested in this will-o’-the-wisp who grew up in the United States and who was trained in an academy in Florida. DiomandĂ© will play the 2026 World Cup in the US with matches against Ecuador, Germany and Curaçao.
In the history of football, 16 players have cost 100 million euros or more: the record holder Neymar at 222 million euros, his runner-up Kylian Mbappé at 180 million, Alexander Isak at 145 million, as well as Joao Félix, Enzo Fernandez, Antoine Griezmann, Philippe Coutinho, Jack Grealish, Florian Wirtz, Declan Rice, Moisés Caicedo, Romelu Lukaku, Ousmane Dembélé, Paul Pogba, Jude Bellingham, Eden Hazard, Cristiano Ronaldo, Harry Kane and Gareth Bale.
