Biggest Nigerian Transfers In 2025 Summer Window
THE summer transfer window of 2025 has been one of the most dramatic in recent memory for Nigerian footballers. From blockbuster deals to fresh starts and quiet but strategic moves, Super Eagles and Super Falcons stars were at the centre of some of Europe’s biggest stories AJIBADE OLUSESAN highlights standout Nigerian transfers that defined the window:
Tolu Arokodare
The Premier League dream has finally arrived for Tolu Arokodare. Wolves splashed £24 million on the 24-year-old striker after his Golden Boot-winning campaign in Belgium, where he netted 21 times.
Arokodare leaves Genk with 41 goals in 113 appearances, and his arrival at Molineux is meant to ease the scoring burden on Jorgen Strand Larsen. His physicality, work rate, and finishing instinct could make him the surprise package of the Premier League season.
Chiamaka Nnadozie
A huge step for Nigerian women’s football. Super Falcons goalkeeper Chiamaka Nnadozie signed for Brighton in the Women’s Super League after leaving Paris FC on a free transfer. At 24, Nnadozie is already one of Africa’s finest shot-stoppers, boasting 55 caps for Nigeria and 16 Champions League appearances.
Her move to England puts her in the most competitive women’s league in the world, giving her both exposure and the chance to cement her global reputation. Brighton manager Dario Vidosic hailed her as a “commanding presence who brings consistency and confidence.”
Cyril Dessers
Super Eagles striker Cyril Dessers swapped Glasgow for Athens, joining Greek giants Panathinaikos. Dessers said he was convinced after experiencing Panathinaikos’ atmosphere during a Rangers clash last season.
He also recalled scoring against Olympiacos, their fierce rivals, and is now keen to repeat that feat in green. For Panathinaikos, the 30-year-old striker offers proven European experience and a knack for scoring in big games. For Dessers, it’s a chance to become a cult hero in Greek football.
Rasheedat Ajibade
A landmark signing for women’s football, Rasheedat Ajibade has completed a stunning switch from Atlético Madrid to Paris Saint-Germain, signing a deal until June 2027.
The 25-year-old Super Falcons captain, who rose from FC Robo Queens in Lagos, is one of Africa’s most exciting forwards. She scored eight goals and three assists in 25 appearances for Atlético last season and brings both leadership and flair to PSG.
Ajibade, who has already won two WAFCON titles (2018 and 2024) and shone at both the 2023 Women’s World Cup and 2024 Olympics in Paris will now share the spotlight with some of the world’s biggest female stars in Paris.
Moses Simon
After six years at Nantes, where he played over 200 games, Moses Simon chose a new challenge at newly promoted Paris FC for £7 million. At 30, Simon is still blessed with blistering pace and trickery on the wings. Paris FC will rely on him to lead their Ligue 1 survival campaign, while Simon embraces the responsibility of being the team’s star name. He has already started well, scoring the club’s first goal of the season.
Semi Ajayi
Veteran defender Semi Ajayi ended his six-year spell at West Brom to join Championship side Hull City on a free transfer. At 31, the Nigerian international brings leadership and experience, having already helped West Brom achieve Premier League promotion in 2019/20. Hull hope Ajayi’s defensive solidity will be the backbone of their promotion push this season.
Chidozie Awaziem
Chidozie Awaziem’s career has taken him across Portugal, Spain, Turkey, Croatia, and MLS. Now, the 27-year-old centreback is back in France after sealing a move to Nantes. Though not always flashy, Awaziem is valued for his versatility — he can play both as a centre-half and right-back. Nantes see him as a stabilising figure who can quietly raise the team’s defensive level.
Victor Boniface
This may not be the blockbuster move many expected, but it could be a turning point for Victor Boniface’s career. The 23-year-old Super Eagles striker has joined Werder Bremen on a season-long loan from Bundesliga rivals Bayer Leverkusen.
Having completed his medical, Boniface will have part of his salary covered by Bremen during the loan spell. A proposed transfer to AC Milan recently collapsed due to concerns over his right knee, which has endured two ACL injuries.
At Leverkusen, he had fallen down the pecking order to third-choice striker, prompting the need for a fresh start and more playing time.
Now at Bremen, Boniface links up with fellow Nigerian international Felix Agu, with hopes of regaining top form and making a strong impression in the Bundesliga once again.
Leon Balogun
At 36, Leon Balogun isn’t done yet. The veteran centre-back signed for Cypriot club Aris Limassol after leaving Rangers, and he’s already made an impact — playing the full 90 minutes in a 3-1 win over Apollon in the league opener. Balogun reunites with former Rangers teammate Connor Goldson and brings a wealth of experience to the Cypriot First Division. His leadership will be key as Aris chase domestic and European ambitions.
Wilfred Ndidi
For nearly a decade, Wilfred Ndidi was the heartbeat of Leicester City’s midfield. Signed in January 2017 from Genk as a replacement for N’Golo Kanté, the Nigerian quickly made a name for himself in England with his tireless ball-winning, interceptions, and defensive discipline.
Across nine years, he racked up 303 appearances, lifted the Premier League title medal (2015/16 squad), and later played an instrumental role in Leicester’s historic FA Cup triumph in 2021.
But football is unforgiving. Leicester’s relegation from the Premier League in 2023 marked a turning point, and though Ndidi stayed loyal for another campaign in the Championship, it became clear that he needed a new challenge to rediscover the spark that once made him one of Europe’s most sought-after midfielders. That opportunity came from Besiktas, one of Turkey’s traditional giants.
The club paid £9.5 million to bring the 28-yearold to Istanbul and handed him a three-year contract worth around €4 million annually. For Besiktas, the signing is a statement of intent — they are not only recruiting experience but also a player still in his prime, with the ability to dominate the midfield in the Süper Lig and European competitions. For Ndidi, this move represents renewal rather than glamour.
He swaps the bright lights of the Premier League for a passionate football culture where expectations are just as intense. Turkish fans are notoriously demanding, and at Besiktas, he will be expected to anchor the midfield, protect the defence, and provide balance for the team’s attacking flair.
Victor Osimhen
Osimhen’s £75 million transfer to Galatasaray is not just the headline deal of the 2025 summer window — it is a defining moment in Turkish football history. The Super Eagles striker has become the most expensive player ever signed by a Turkish club, shattering previous records and underlining his stature as one of the game’s most lethal forwards.
The 26-year-old had already given the Istanbul giants a preview of what he could deliver during his season-long loan in 2024/25. In a campaign that will go down in Galatasaray folklore, Osimhen scored 37 goals in 41 appearances, dragging the team to the Süper Lig title and restoring their dominance in Turkish football.
His explosive pace, intelligent movement, and ruthless finishing made him an instant hero at the Nef Stadium, where fans began to chant his name alongside the club’s greats. Having witnessed such brilliance, Galatasaray’s management wasted no time in making the deal permanent.
They tabled £75 million to Napoli, while offering Osimhen a staggering £15 million net salary per year, plus performance bonuses. It is a financial outlay that demonstrates not only Galatasaray’s ambition but also their recognition of Osimhen as the face of their project — a player to spearhead both domestic dominance and European resurgence. For Osimhen, the move is as much about identity and belonging as it is about money.
At Napoli, despite firing them to a historic Serie A title in 2023 and cementing his status as one of the world’s best strikers, the relationship soured amid off-field tensions and transfer disputes. In Istanbul, however, he has found a fanbase that adores him, a city that thrives on passion, and a league where he is guaranteed to be the star attraction every matchday.
