No one expected Manchester United would look into the Chinese Super League for reinforcements when they needed to bolster their squad for a strong league finish. They went for former Watford and Nigerian international Odion Ighalo. The Shanghai Shenhua forward signed an initial 6-month loan deal with the Old Trafford outfit in January 2020, but he has since extended his loan by a further six months. He took a wage cut to secure the transfer, but he still remains one of the highest-paid Africans in the world of football.
Ighalo’s international teammates are not doing badly either at various grounds, and we look at the top 5 highest paid footballers from Nigeria.
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#5. Kelechi Iheanacho – 60,000 pounds a week
Kelechi rose to the limelight when he helped the young Super Eagles to a FIFA U-17 World Cup victory, emerging as the tournament’s highest scorer. Shortly after the successful tournament, scouts from all over Europe were fighting for his signature. He signed for Manchester City in the English Premier League, but the quality of the competition ahead of him restricted him to only a few appearances in the sky-blue shirt. He was sold to Leicester City for 25 million pounds, where he earns a salary of 60 million pounds per week.
#4. Victor Moses – 75,000 pounds per week
The traveled Nigerian has been a Chelsea player since 2012, but it rarely looks like it because of the time he’s spent outside the Bridge. He has played for Liverpool, West Ham, Stoke, Fenerbahce, and now Inter Milan, all on loan from Chelsea. Moses has made 100 appearances for the Blues, scoring 20 goals. He earns a weekly wage of 75,000 pounds.
#3. Wilfred Ndidi – 75,000 pounds per week
The Leicester City midfielder became a Premier League sensation when he joined the Foxes in 2017. He was a direct replacement for the departed Ng’olo Kante who had joined Chelsea on a big-money move after the glorious season that saw Leicester clinch the EPL. Ndidi has since made over 120 times for the Foxes and earns a respectable 75,000 pounds every week. Betway gives you a chance to bet on a surprise winner, with Everton currently leading the standings.
#2. Victor Osimhen – 96,000 per week
The young Nigerian striker joined Italian giants Napoli from Lille in France in a 70-million-pound deal. After graduating from Ultimate Strikers Academy, he joined Wolfsburg in Germany, Charleroi in Belgium, and eventually Lille in 2019. It took him only a single year in France to get big teams in Europe noticing. Napoli was the lucky team to secure the fancied Nigerian striker’s signature. He earns 96,000 pounds per week at Naples.
#1. Odion Ighalo – 180,000 pounds per week
Odion Ighalo had spent some time in the EPL with Watford, twice becoming their top scorer, but he did not earn anything close to what Chinese Super League outfit Shanghai Shenhua offered him when he made the switch. Many thought his time at the highest level was up until Manchester United boss Ole Gunnar Solskjaer came calling. He desperately needed a striker, and Ighalo was available. Manchester United was not ready to part with what the striker earned in China, but his willingness to take a pay cut meant he would earn 180,000 pounds every week at Old Trafford.
Nigerian fans can follow and bet on their stars with Betway throughout the 2020/21 season.
