Antoine Semenyo looked relaxed but cheerful in the chair when he was quizzed about the kind of player Manchester City has signed after he completed his 74 million euros move to the Citizens from the Cherries, “Powerful, strong, quick and clinical– these are the words the Ghanaian used to describe himself.
It has been an incredible week for the 26-year-old forward, who scored his final goal for Bournemouth on Wednesday, celebrated his birthday on the same day, had his Manchester City medicals on Thursday and was confirmed as a new signing on Friday morning.
Antoine Semenyo’s €74 million move to Manchester City has made him the most expensive Ghanaian footballer of all time and only behind Osimhen as the second most expensive African footballer.
Here, I run you through the top 10 most expensive Ghanaian footballers of all time.
10. Andre Ayew
Clubs: Swansea City to West Ham
Year: August 2016
Price: €24.1 mill
Andre Ayew signed for West Ham United in a club record deal on a three-year deal. The former Ghanaian skipper had exceeded expectations in the 2015-16 season at Swansea City and became a very hot left-sided winger in the English transfer market. West Ham were able to convince him to join the London club in a club record-breaking deal.
9. Abdul Baba Rahman
Clubs: Augsburg to Chelsea
Year: August 2015
Price: €24.4
After impressing at Asante Kotoko on loan from Dreams F.C in the 2011-12 season, Abdul Baba Rahman was quickly signed by the newly promoted German Bundesliga club Greuther Furth in June 2012. After impressing, he became one of the highly rated young left-backs in Europe. Augsburg signed him in 2014 after showing so much potential with Greuther Furth. After making the most tackles in the Bundesliga in the 2014-15 season, Chelsea signed Baba on a five-year deal in a deal worth €24.4m. Baba was in Chelsea’s books for seven seasons but played only 15 matches. He had seven different loan spells with Schalke 04, Reims, Mallorca and Reading before finally moving away from the London club in 2023.
8. Ernest Nuamah
Clubs: Nordsjaelland to RWD Molenbeek
Year: August 2023
Price: Ernest Nuamah
Price: €25 million
After Begian club Nordsjaelland finished scouting on Nuamah, the minnows broke the bank and paid a huge 25 million euros for the budding Ghanaian attacker with the view that they will get much cash on him in a space of 12 months. Lyon immediately negotiated for a loan with an option to buy. The clubs agreed, and Nuamah joined the French side for a season-long loan in the 2023-24 season.
7. Kamaaldeen Sulemana
Clubs: Rennes to Southampton
Year: February 2023
Price: €25 million
Kamaaldeen was highly rated by Tom Vernon, the founder of the famous Right to Dream Academy, to the extent that he had more talent than Kudus. Veteran Ghanaian sports journalist Sannie Daara once compared his talent to Vinicius Junior of Brazil and Real Madrid. It shows how fantastic the youngster is. Sulemana is also a player nurtured by Right to Dream and Nordsjaelland. Southampton paid 25 million euros to Ligue 1 side Rennes for the Ghanaian’s signature on 1st February 2023 after fighting off competition from Ajax Amsterdam and Everton.
6. Ernest Nuamah
Clubs: RWD Molenbeek to Olympique Lyon
Year: July 2024
Price: €25 million
The 22-year-old Kumasi-born made a permanent switch to Olympique Lyon after enjoying a successful loan spell in the 2023-24 season. Belgian club RWD Molenbeek signed him from Nordsjaelland and immediately loaned him to the French side. In July 2024, Lyon announced a permanent deal where they paid €25 million for the Belgian side RWD Molenbeek.
5. Michael Essien
Clubs: Lyon to Chelsea
Year: August 2005
Price: €38 million
Michael Kojo Essien’s transfer to Chelsea is one of the longest-running transfer sagas in the history of European football. The then-powerhouse midfielder was keen to join Jose Mourinho’s Chelsea after a series of performances at Bastia and Olympique Marseille. Chelsea finally reached an agreement with the uncompromising Jean-Michel Aulas, the president of Lyon, who was a tough negotiator. Essien became Chelsea’s most expensive signing, breaking Drogba’s record.
4. Mohammed Kudus
Clubs: Ajax to West Ham
Year: August 2023
Price: €44.5 million
Kudus, after a breakthrough season with Ajax in the 2022-23 season, the former Right to Dream and Nordsjaelland star was on the list of many top European clubs. Chelsea and Tottenham Hotspur have shown keen interest in the forward, but West Ham, under David Moyes, won his signature. The move helped him become the most expensive Ghanaian signing in history. Kudus justified his big-money move to London from Amsterdam with dazzling performances.
3. Thomas Partey
Clubs: Atletico Madrid
Year: October 2020
Price: €50 million
Arsenal announced that they have activated Partey’s €50 million release clause to show their ambitions to return to the top table of English football. Diego Simeone had trained Partey so well that he became one of the deep-lying playmakers in Europe. Partey attracted interest from so many big clubs in Europe with massive salaries, but the Ghanaian chose Arsenal because of their project. Thomas’s time in London was indifferent due to injuries. In his final season, he was so great as he helped the club reach the semi-final of the UEFA Champions League. The two parties failed to renew their marriage due to issues outside football.
2. Mohammed Kudus
Clubs: West Ham to Tottenham Hotspur
Year: July 2025
Price: €64 million
Mo Kudus, in a space of two seasons, became one of the finest left-footed players in England. His shooting techniques and dribbling ability made him the fans’ favourite at the London Stadium for West Ham. Newly appointed manager of Tottenham, Thomas Frank, sanctioned the signing of Kudus, where the club paid a huge €64 million to rivals West Ham. His move angered West Ham fans, with many calling him Judas for betraying them to join rival club Tottenham Hotspur.
1. Antoine Semenyo
Clubs: Bournemouth to Manchester City
Year: January 2026
Price: €74 Million
Antoine Semenyo’s hefty fee will break so many transfer records. He is the most expensive sale made by Bournemouth. He is the second most expensive African footballer of all time, behind Nigerian superstar Osimhen. He is the most expensive Ghanaian player of all time. Yes, the Ghanaian has put up so many good performances for Bournemouth since he joined from Bristol City. He has shown incredible professionalism to deserve this transfer. Antoine Semenyo occupies the number one slot after an incredible transfer window for him and his entourage.
