Lookman and Boniface See Big Drops in Market Value

Several Super Eagles players saw big drops in their market value in Europe’s top leagues for the 2025/26 season. Ademola Lookman and Victor Boniface led the decline due to injuries, failed transfers, poor form, and less playing time, according to PUNCH Sports Extra.

While Victor Osimhen and Samuel Chukwueze saw slight increases in their value, many key Super Eagles players faced a downturn. This decline brought Nigeria’s overall squad value down to €172.05 million. It also pushed the Super Eagles to seventh among Africa’s most valuable national teams, outside the continent’s top five.

No Nigerian player faced a bigger drop than Boniface. The striker started the season valued at about €40 million, having peaked at €45 million before this. His value fell sharply to just €5 million after a tough campaign.

The trouble began when a move to AC Milan fell through due to issues with his medical exam. He stayed at Bayer Leverkusen before moving to Werder Bremen on a season-long loan in September 2025. Unfortunately, this move did not help him. The 25-year-old scored no goals in 11 Bundesliga matches and only got two assists from 332 minutes of play. He had knee surgery in January, which ended his season. He has now returned to Leverkusen.

Lookman started the season as one of Africa’s most valuable players. After helping Atalanta win the UEFA Europa League, winning the CAF Player of the Year award, and finishing 14th in the Ballon d’Or rankings, his value rose to €60 million. But now, it has dropped to €40 million.

His performance declined sharply. He scored 20 goals and made seven assists in the 2024/25 season, but this season, he only managed three goals and two assists in nineteen matches before leaving Bergamo. A planned move to Inter Milan did not happen. He reportedly asked for a transfer and briefly lost his spot in Atalanta’s matchday squads. Eventually, he was sold to Atletico Madrid for around €40 million in February 2026.

Taiwo Awoniyi’s value has also been falling since reaching a peak of €30 million in October 2023. By mid-2026, the Nottingham Forest striker’s value dropped to €8 million from €16 million the previous year. This decline came as he struggled with a long goal drought, scoring only once in 26 Premier League appearances, including an 11-match stretch without a goal. Chris Wood’s rise to first-choice striker limited Awoniyi to just 396 league minutes last season.

Terem Moffi began to decline earlier. He suffered a serious ACL injury during pre-season training with Nice in July 2024, which kept him out for 243 days. He managed only two goals in ten Ligue 1 appearances before his season took a turn for the worse. After Nice lost 3-1 to Lorient on November 30, angry fans confronted the players, which affected him badly and caused issues with the club. He joined FC Porto on loan in January 2026, with an option to buy for just €8 million, down from a peak value of €25 million.

Wilfred Ndidi is another example of long-term decline. Once valued at €60 million during his best days at Leicester City, the 29-year-old has seen his value drop due to injuries and Leicester’s relegation. He moved to Besiktas in August 2025 and played 25 matches in the Turkish Super Lig, scoring two goals. However, the club had a mixed season. Ndidi has received fresh transfer interest this summer, including a bid from Saudi Arabian club Al-Ittihad for around €10.5 million. His current value is at €8 million, a huge fall from his peak at Leicester.