African Footballers Dominate Premier League Salaries

African footballers are no longer just lighting up the Premier League. They are sitting at the very top of its pay scale.

From Manchester to Newcastle and north London, some of the division’s biggest earners now hail from Cairo, Accra, Douala and Kinshasa, reflecting both their importance on the pitch and their growing financial clout off it. Reported salary estimates published on MSN this week underline just how far African talent has climbed in England’s top flight.

Marmoush sets the pace at City

At the head of the pack is Omar Marmoush. The Egyptian forward, now at Manchester City, reportedly pockets £295,000 per week – a staggering figure that puts clear daylight between him and the rest of the continent’s elite in the Premier League.

Marmoush arrived at the Etihad from Eintracht Frankfurt in January 2025 after a standout spell in the Bundesliga. City paid for potential and end product, and his wage packet reflects that calculation. His reported salary is almost double that of the cluster of African stars on £150,000 per week, underlining his status among the league’s best-paid players, not just among Africans.

United and City stack their African core

Behind Marmoush, a trio of attackers sit on the next tier at £150,000 per week, each at a club with serious ambitions.

• Bryan Mbeumo, Cameroon’s versatile forward, has climbed from Brentford revelation to Manchester United regular. His reported wage matches his new standing: one of his country’s leading attacking figures on one of world football’s biggest stages.
• Sharing that bracket is Antoine Semenyo. The Ghanaian’s rise has been rapid, his game sharpened in English football and rewarded with a lucrative move to Manchester City. His reported £150,000-a-week deal signals how highly the champions rate his development and ceiling.
• Mohammed Kudus completes the group. The Ghanaian playmaker, now at Tottenham Hotspur, is also understood to earn £150,000 per week. After making his name at West Ham United, Kudus has grown into one of Africa’s most prominent Premier League stars, his creativity and goal threat reflected in a contract that places him firmly among the division’s top African earners.

Wissa, Mazraoui and the defensive money

Just below that top band, Yoane Wissa’s numbers tell their own story. The DR Congo international, now at Newcastle United, reportedly earns around £140,000 per week. Long seen as a tireless, intelligent forward, he has become a consistent attacking presence and one of the highest-paid African players in England.

At Manchester United, Noussair Mazraoui represents Africa’s defensive class. The Moroccan full-back is believed to be on £135,000 per week, a figure that places him among the best-paid African defenders in the league and underlines how modern full-backs – especially those who can influence both ends of the pitch – are valued.

Young stars cashing in

The money is not only flowing to established names.

At Old Trafford, Amad Diallo’s emergence has been matched by a significant pay rise. The Ivorian winger is estimated to earn £120,000 per week at Manchester United, putting him among the better-paid African players at the club and signalling the faith the hierarchy has in his long-term impact.

Manchester City, meanwhile, have added more African flair in the shape of Rayan Aït-Nouri. The Algerian full-back, also reportedly on £120,000 per week, strengthens both City’s squad depth and the African presence at the Etihad. His move from a smaller platform into one of England’s dominant sides has brought with it a contract that mirrors his growing reputation.

Carlos Baleba’s story sits slightly lower on the scale but is no less significant. The Cameroon midfielder, fresh from completing his transfer to Manchester United from Brighton & Hove Albion, is reportedly set to earn around £90,000 per week. At 22, after three seasons of steady growth at Brighton following his arrival from Lille in 2023, he now steps into the glare of Old Trafford with a salary that places him behind the established stars but firmly among the best-paid young African talents in the division.

Iwobi’s steady Premier League status

Away from the title chasers, Alex Iwobi continues to fly the flag for Nigeria at Fulham. The midfielder is estimated to earn around £80,000 per week at Craven Cottage, which equates to roughly £4.16 million per year before bonuses.

Iwobi’s move from Everton in September 2023 gave Fulham a proven Premier League performer and Nigeria a consistent presence in the English top flight. His salary, while below the astronomical figures at the biggest clubs, still reflects a player with strong status for both club and country.

A continent counted in millions

Taken together, these reported figures sketch a clear picture: African footballers are not just part of the Premier League story; they are shaping it and being paid accordingly. From Egypt to Algeria, Ghana to Cameroon, the continent’s leading lights are securing major roles and major contracts at some of England’s most powerful clubs.

The question now is not whether African players can reach the Premier League’s financial summit. It is which rising star will be the next to break into this elite bracket.