Senegal could see the most remarkable transfer window in its football history, with six of the country’s most expensive players potentially moving clubs before the market closes.
Several members of the Lions of Teranga have already completed transfers worth tens of millions of euros, while three more are reportedly close to deals that could dramatically reshape the national record standings.
For much of the past decade, Sadio Mane’s move to Liverpool and Kalidou Koulibaly’s transfer to Chelsea, both worth about €40m, represented the benchmark for Senegalese players. This summer, however, has taken the market to an entirely different level.
The new record-holder is Nicolas Jackson, after Aston Villa paid about €76m, including bonuses, to sign the striker. The move also reunites Jackson with Unai Emery, who coached him at Villarreal.
Ibrahim Mbaye has also completed a major deal at the age of only 18. Aston Villa agreed to pay Paris St-Germain up to €55m, including add-ons, for the young Senegal international. The transfer makes Mbaye the most expensive player ever sold directly from PSG’s academy.
A third confirmed move involves El Hadji Malick Diouf, who will remain in the Premier League after leaving relegated West Ham for Brentford. The total value of that transfer could rise to about €46m with bonuses, lifting the left-back into the group of the most expensive Senegalese players in history.
Together, the three deals already amount to nearly €177m.
But the spending could rise considerably further before the transfer window shuts.
Lamine Camara is edging closer to a move to Chelsea. An agreement with Monaco worth about €45m, including bonuses, has been reported, with only some details still to be settled. The 22-year-old midfielder started Monaco’s 2-0 win against Marseille on Sunday, a match that could prove to be his final appearance for the club.
An even bigger deal could involve Iliman Ndiaye, who is now close to joining Tottenham. The London club have reached an agreement with Everton worth about £60m, or nearly €70m. According to Taggat, Arsenal could also enter the negotiations, potentially turning the transfer into a fierce derby battle and pushing the price higher.
A move to Tottenham would place the former Marseille player directly among the top three most expensive Senegalese footballers ever.
Ismaila Sarr could complete the record-breaking picture. Liverpool have already made an opening offer of £50m for the Crystal Palace winger, but it was rejected. Palace, known as the Eagles, value Sarr at between £55m and £60m, which could put the deal at close to €70m.
Sarr is reported to have given his approval to a move to Liverpool. If the transfer goes through, he could command an even higher fee than the amount Galatasaray had been preparing to pay for him.
Should the three outstanding deals be completed at the figures currently being discussed, Jackson, Ndiaye, Sarr, Mbaye, Diouf and Camara would make up the six most expensive transfers in the history of Senegalese football.
All six deals would have been completed during the same transfer window, underlining the growing commercial value of the Lions of Teranga in the European market.
