With one more week to go of the January transfer window, we examine the big deals involving African players so far, and look at some of the moves that could still go through before the end of deadline day on Monday February 2.

The story so far

The biggest African deal of the window so far is Antoine Semenyo’s move to Manchester City, with the 2024 Premier League champions parting with £62.5m to bring the Ghana international to the Etihad Stadium.

Pep Guardiola clearly believes that Semenyo’s goal threat – he’s scored 21 in the top flight over his final 18 months with Bournemouth – will effectively support Erling Haaland’s output as the Sky Blues look to overhaul Arsenal in the title race, with the 26-year-old already proven in the Prem.

His work rate, technical ability and vision should help him fit into Guardiola’s plans, and three goals in his first four appearances for his new employers certainly bode well.

Also in the top flight, Marshall Munetsi was a surprise omission from Zimbabwe’s Africa Cup of Nations squad, but ultimately secured a move away from Wolves during the tournament as he was loaned to Paris FC on January 16.

Old Goal head coach Rob Edwards suggested that his side’s volume of midfield options left the 29-year-old surplus to requirements, and Munetsi should relish a return to a league he knows well, having spent six seasons in Ligue 1 with Reims.

Anglo-Nigerian wonderkid Ethan Nwaneri also moves to France, on loan to Marseille, with Mikel Arteta believing that he can sustain Arsenal’s title challenge without the 18-year-old as an option from the bench, while Arnaud Kalimuendo will attempt to rediscover his lost momentum after signing for Eintracht Frankfurt on loan from Nottingham Forest. The Bundesliga club have retained an option to purchase the Franco-Congolese forward for a fee of £23.5 million should he impress.

Salah’s future pending

In December, Liverpool superstar Mohamed Salah appeared to be on the brink of an Anfield exit, with his post-match mixed zone discourse following the 3-3 draw with Leeds United fuelling speculation that his race on Merseyside was run.

Over subsequent weeks – helped, surely, by stepping away to the Africa Cup of Nations – relations between Salah and Arne Slot appear to have improved, with the 33-year-old starting both matches since returning from Morocco, registering an assist in Saturday’s 3-2 defeat by Bournemouth.

Talk of a January move appears to have cooled, although there’s been plenty of speculation about Salah’s longer-term future.

There’s considerable interest from the Saudi Pro League according to the UK media, while Italian sources suggest that AS Roma could also be keen on an unlikely reunion with the veteran, who represented the Giallorossi between 2015 and 2017.

Marmoush determined to extend City stay

A £59 million signing for Manchester City just over a year ago, Omar Marmoush scored seven in his 16 league appearances after arriving at the Etihad Stadium, but his progress under Pep Guardiola has stalled, with the arrival of Semenyo seen in some quarters as a death knell to his prospects of being a long-term success under the Spaniard.

There’s understood to be interest in his services from both Aston Villa and Tottenham Hotspur, although the player himself – returning to England on the back of a bright AFCON – appears determined to stay and try to fight for his place at City.

He was outstanding in a goalscoring display against Wolves on Saturday, and may yet be able to establish himself under Guardiola.

Onyeka headlines Nigerians who could be on the move

Like Marmoush, Frank Onyeka was able to put some troubled club form behind him to catch the eye at the AFCON, stepping into Nigeria’s starting XI for the victory over Tunisia before starting every game for the Super Eagles during the knockouts.

With Brentford, however, he finds himself at a career crossroads, having featured sporadically during the first half of the season under Keith Andrews, having previously been loaned to FC Augsburg under Thomas Frank last term.

A drop into the Championship could be a wise move for the 28-year-old, with Sheffield United, Coventry City and Birmingham City all appealing options, while reported interest from Valencia appears a little far-fetched.

Either way, the defensive midfielder appears to have reached the end of the road at Brentford, and surely needs a change of scene.

Terem Moffi is another Super Eagle who could be on the move over the coming week, with the likes of FC Porto and Besiktas named as suitors for the OGC Nice frontman, while Onyeka’s fellow midfielder Raphael Onyedika has reportedly been the subject of initial conversations between Aston Villa and Club Brugge.

Galatasaray remain the favourites for the Super Eagles midfielder, who memorably netted twice in the 3-2 victory over Tunisia to send Eric Chelle’s side into the AFCON Last 16.

Everton rejected a bid from Lazio for Tim Iroegbunam this week, with the two clubs yet to arrive at a fee that suits both parties, and expect the Italian heavyweights to make another approach for the 22-year-old before the window closes.

The former Aston Villa man has started 11 league games this season, and with David Moyes well stocked in midfield, he could yet be offloaded to raise funds for squad strengthening.

Less likely to move is Brentford fullback Michael Kayode, who is understood to have been attracting interest from Manchester City.

AFCON wonderkids attracting interest

The Nations Cup has traditionally been seen as a hotbed for European scouts keen to cast their eye over some of the continent’s brightest stars of tomorrow, and the latest edition of the continental showpiece was no different.

Paris Saint-Germain wonderkid Ibrahim Mbaye was part of Senegal’s champions, with the forward becoming the youngest AFCON scorer this century when he netted in the Last 16 victory over Sudan.

Opportunities have been limited under Luis Enrique, however – the 18-year-old has just eight Ligue 1 starts this term – and both Aston Villa and Chelsea are closely monitoring the attacker, according to Sky Germany.

Ivory Coast duo Yan Diomande and Bazoumana Toure are attracting interest from some of Europe’s biggest clubs in the aftermath of their exploits in Morocco, with the pair – alongside Amad Diallo – establishing the West Africans as one of the most dynamic, energetic and watchable teams in the competition.

Diomande, still only 19, is reportedly in the plans of Bayern Munich, Liverpool, Paris Saint-Germain and Manchester United, no less, although it remains to be seen which of the quartet will stump up the £52-61 million that RB Leipzig are understood to be seeking as compensation for his services.

Explosive Toure, also based in Germany with Hoffenheim, isn’t as high-profile as his teammate, but still caught the eye in Morocco with fine goals against Burkina Faso and Gabon.

Arsenal, Newcastle United and Manchester United have taken note, although, as with Diomande, movement appears more likely in the summer rather than during the January window. Overlooked for the Elephants’ AFCON squad, 23-year-old David Datro Fofana is currently in his fourth loan spell since signing for Chelsea in 2023, having only made three Premier League outings for the Blues during that period.

He’s actually catching the eye in Turkey with Fatih Karagumruk, where he’s scored six in 13 Super Lig appearances so far this term, prompting interest from both Leicester and Celtic, who appear to have the advantage over the midtable Championship side.

Aston Villa’s Evann Guessand has piqued the interest of Crystal Palace, and may yet be used as a makeweight in a deal to take Jean-Philippe Mateta to Villa Park, with The Athletic reporting the clubs’ appreciation of each other’s forwards.

Ivorian defenders Emmanuel Abgadou and Ousmane Diomande have also been named as targets for Besiktas and Arsenal respectively.

United still eyeing a Central African midfielder after Amorim exit?

The arrival of Michael Carrick at Old Trafford appears to have promptly stabilised the Red Devils’ midfield, which regularly lacked control and conviction under Ruben Amorim. Despite the renaissance of Kobbie Mainoo, news that Casemiro will depart in the summer surely means that midfield reinforcements are imperative for the club’s hierarchy, with two African targets set to feature prominently in their considerations.

Summer rumours of interest in Carlos Baleba ultimately came to naught during the offseason, but did have the effect of destabilising the Cameroon midfielder during the first half of the campaign, at least before he began to return to his best form at the Nations Cup.

The I believe that the 22-year-old remains a realistic short-term target for United, with The Sun suggesting that the Red Devils are increasingly confident they’ll get their man…although in the summer rather than in January.

Tottenham Hotspur and Liverpool may yet have something to say about United’s pursuit of the Indomitable Lion.

Another option for Carrick – or whoever replaces him – could be Sunderland’s Noah Sadiki, with the 21-year-old workhorse underpinning the Black Cats’ successful return to the top tier.

Any other business?

It was a testing AFCON for Youssef En-Nesyri, who was part of the Morocco side who were defeated by Senegal on home soil in such heartbreaking circumstances, having failed to make much of an impact across seven substitute appearances.

Nonetheless, he’s been at the heart of some major rumours this month, with Juventus appearing to be closing in on a deal to sign the 28-year-old from Fenerbahce only for things to fall apart this weekend, as the Italian giants prefer a loan move while En-Nesyri is keen on a permanent exit from Istanbul.

He may yet have other options, with Aston Villa, Nottingham Forest and Everton all sniffing a potential coup.

His compatriot, Othmane Maamma, has been intriguing Newcastle United, Manchester United and Liverpool, according to Teamtalk, although expect movement on the young Watford forward’s future to take place later this year, while Algeria’s Anis Hadj Moussa is being monitored by Chelsea, Benfica and Marseille, according to reports in Germany, after his eye-catching AFCON

Following Semenyo, there could yet be another high-profile Ghanaian on the move over the next week, with Abdul Fatawu interesting Bournemouth following some bright displays for Leicester in the Championship.

The 21-year-old is thriving back in the second tier – he’s had a hand in 13 goals across 29 appearances so far – and the Cherries could see him as a Semenyo replacement if they can see off reported interest from Sunderland, Everton and Crystal Palace.

One player who had appeared set to be leaving Selhurst Park this month is Eddie Nketiah, although a hamstring injury – the latest in his long painful history of fitness problems – appears to have scuppered his hopes of a move to West Ham.