Who Are The Most Expensive Nigerian Defenders In History?
By Amaechi Agbo with agency report
Harry Maguire has officially transferred to Manchester United from Leicester City after passing his medical at Old Trafford on Monday, August 5.
According to BBC Sport reports, the England international was bought for a record-breaking fee of £80 million and has become the most expensive defender, exceeding Matthijs de Ligt’s £77million to Juventus from Ajax Amsterdam.
A look back home in the defenders the Super Eagles have paraded
Former Super Eagles’ centre-back Taribo West currently holds the record of the most expensive central defender of Nigerian descent after Inter Milan bought him for a whopping fee of £10.2 million from Auxerre back in 1997.
West was reportedly most expensive defender in the world before he was surpassed by Jaap Stam who moved to Manchester United from PSV Eindhoven for a fee in the range of £10.6million.
Joseph Enakarhire was signed for £5.5million from Sporting CP to Dynamo Moscow back in 2005 and he became the second most expensive transfer for a Nigerian defender.
Former Everton player Joseph Yobo was worth £5.5million as well when he joined the English side from Marseille in 2003.
Onyekachi Apam became the fourth most expensive centre-back of Nigerian descent when he was bought by Rennes for approximately £3.7million.
Super Eagles star William Troost-Ekong holds the fifth position when he was signed by Udinese for £3million from Turkish Super Lig club Bursaspor.
Current Super Eagles defender, Kenneth Omerue could break into the rank if his protracted transfer talk to Spanish La Liga side Leganes is sorted.
Omeruo’s permanent deal with Leganes is currently being held up by a disparity in the valuation of the player by his parent club, Chelsea and the Spanish La Liga side.
Omeruo, who has never made a senior appearance for the Blues, is determined to leave Stamford Bridge for CD Leganes.
The La Liga side became the sixth different club to sign the Nigerian international on loan from Chelsea last term. They want to buy him now and have already had one offer rejected, but are prepared to increase their bid to £4.6m for the 25-year-old.
