Summer transfer window 2026: Africa will ignite the transfer market

Osimhen, the king of Istanbul makes headlines
This is the series that never ends. Victor Osimhen, 27 years old, is probably the hottest name in this summer transfer window, and maybe for several years. After leaving Naples without finding a winner in a chaotic 2024 transfer window, the Nigerian striker bounced back with panache at Galatasaray, scoring both in the Super Lig and the Champions League.

The result? A list of contenders as long as his record. Real Madrid, FC Barcelona, Bayern Munich, Arsenal, Atlético Madrid, PSG... All would have checked his name. According to some sources, Osimhen has even given his approval in principle to the club of the French capital, which is looking to make him its new leading striker. Naples, which still holds its rights, would claim between 80 and 150 million euros according to the interlocutors. A titanic case, up to the level of man’s talent.

Guirassy: the 35 million dollar bomb that no one can ignore
If Osimhen represents the most spectacular transfer, Serhou Guirassy could well be the wisest. The 30-year-old Guinean international, third best scorer in the Bundesliga this season with 17 goals, has informed Borussia Dortmund of his wish to leave. 

His contract, which runs until 2028, contains a discharge clause of about 35 million euros (activable only by a very closed circle of seven clubs: Real Madrid, FC Barcelona, Manchester City, Liverpool, Chelsea, Arsenal and Manchester United). A derisory price for a striker of this caliber, who scored 59 goals in 95 games under the BVB jersey. Fenerbahçe would also be on the spot, in a different logic. Dortmund tries to hold him back by promising ambitious offensive recruits. But the decision seems made: Guirassy wants a new stage.

The other popular stars
Beyond the headliners, this transfer market will see other African players receiving special attention:

Mohamed Salah: The Egyptian officially leaves Liverpool and fuels a frenzy in the market. Saudi Arabia and several European clubs are vying for its signature.
Carlos Baleba (Brighton): The 21-year-old Cameroonian midfielder, selected last summer, is again in the crosshairs of the Premier League, for a price around 139 million euros.
Mohamed Amoura (Wolfsburg): The Algerian striker continues to stoke the fire, especially from Benfica, who had their offer of 35 million euros rejected.
Yan Diomandé (RB Leipzig): Liverpool and PSG would be on the lookout for this atypical profile that shone this season.
Lamine Camara, Bamba Dieng: On the Senegalese side, several players at the end of their contract or looking for a new challenge could fuel a very lively transfer window for the Lions.

Contract endings: golden opportunities
June 30, 2026 rings the hour of truth for several African executives in European football, none of whom has yet extended. Among the most interesting profiles:

Yves Bissouma (Tottenham): The Malian midfielder, who plays for the Spurs, could leave free after several seasons in the Premier League.
Amadou Haidara (RB Leipzig): The Malian international was one of the main players in the Leipzig midfield. His free departure would be a godsend for an ambitious club.

Thomas Partey (Arsenal): A page is turning for the Ghanaian, pillar of the Gunners in recent seasons.
Franck Kessié (Al-Ahli): The Ivorian, who played for Barça and Milan, could reshuffle the cards with a return to Europe.
So many experienced profiles, available without transfer fees, and who will be the subject of a discreet but fierce race between Premier League, Bundesliga and Serie A clubs.

Ibrahim Mbaye: the nugget that all of England is snatching away
He is only 18 years old, but his name already resonates in all the sporting directions of the big European clubs. Ibrahim Mbaye, Senegalese right-winger of PSG, born in Trappes to a Senegalese father and a Moroccan mother, is one of the most exciting revelations of the season.

A pure product of the Parisian team, which he joined at 10 years old, he became the youngest player to start an official match in the history of PSG, in August 2024. In the national team, he played in the final of the CAN at only 17 years old, becoming the youngest finalist of the tournament in the 21st century. Selected in the list of 26 for the 2026 World Cup, he is heading into summer with a growing number of players.

Manchester City, Arsenal and Aston Villa would all be positioned. The PSG, who signed him until 2028, held up during the winter transfer window, but summer could be a different story. Valued at 30 million euros, Mbaye alone embodies this new African generation that grows up in the heart of the best European clubs.

World Cup: the value accelerator
An essential parameter to include in this summer’s reading: the 2026 World Cup, with ten African selections qualified for the first time in a single final phase, represents an unprecedented showcase. For some players, a good tournament could multiply their value and accelerate transfers already well underway. For others, it is the moment to settle into the imagination of the global public.

Football in Africa is no longer content to feed the workforce at the end of the bench. It is now at the heart of the major maneuvers of the transfer market. And the summer of 2026 could well be the most beautiful demonstration of this.