In today’s football transfer market, 100 million euros appears to be the minimum a club would demand for their top prospect or their best player, and buyers do not hesitate to accept it.
Many football fans believe that the current football transfer market is bloated, resulting in the expensive acquisition of players who are not worth their prices.
It does not take much to be worth a hundred million euros in today’s market. Being named player of the year; scoring a significant number of goals or assists; keeping a significant number of clean sheets; and being relatively young are all required.
Therefore, GhanaWeb highlights former Black Stars players who could have fetched a 100 million transfer fee in today’s market.
Abedi Pele
Abedi Pele, three-time African Footballer of the Year, was at his peak from 1989 to 1993. By 1993, he had won back-to-back-to-back African Player of the Year awards, the UEFA Champions League, Ligue 1 twice, and the BBC African Footballer of the Year.
He was in his late twenties at the time, but he could cost 100 million, just as 29-year-old Romelu Lukaku cost Chelsea a little more than 100 million in 2021 with his move from Inter.
Michael Essein
Former Black Stars midfielder, Michael Essien could have had his name in the 100 million euros purchase in today’s market, considering his profile from Lyon that earned him his major big move to Chelsea in the summer of 2005.
Chelsea signed Essien for a transfer fee of £24.4 million. Essien spent two seasons at Lyon.
Before joining Chelsea, the 22-year-old was Ligue 1 player of the year, he was featured in the team of the season and was a back-to-back Ligue 1 winner.
His age and achievement put his price way beyond 100 million in the current market and Lyon would wish they could rewind the clock and negotiate a better deal.
Nonetheless, Essien is ranked the club’s 7th most expensive departure by transfermarkt.
Toni Yeboah
The former Eintracht Frankurt and Leeds United man was a goal machine. Before joining Leeds in 1995, he had won the Bundesliga goal king twice.
Landed his first golden boot award in 1993-94, scoring 20. His second came in and 1994-1995 season where he netted 18 goals.
Due to his goal-scoring dexterity, Leeds United made an offer of £3.4 million that Frankfurt could not resist. He became Frankfurt’s second most expensive departure and today he is ranked 16th on the list, according to transfermarkt.
He made 156 appearances, scoring 86 goals for Eintracht Frankfurt in three years.
Tony Yeboah would have worth paid even more than 100 million euros for his signature in today’s market.