Nigerian footballers are making waves across Europe and even the cold, rugged pitches of Scotland haven’t been left out. Over the years, a handful of Super Eagles stars have tested their mettle in the Scottish Premiership, leaving their mark on passionate fans and historic clubs.
From bargain buys to record signings, these Nigerians have carried the hopes of their new clubs—and sometimes the weight of expectations too. Footynaija.com brings you a list of the most expensive Nigerian transfers in Scottish Premiership history.
4. Sone Aluko – Birmingham City to Aberdeen FC (€75k)
Long before Nigeria had big-money names arriving in Scotland, Aluko became one of the early Super Eagles exports to make the leap. In the summer of 2008, Aberdeen swooped in for the then 19-year-old winger from Birmingham City, paying a modest €75,000 fee that turned out to be a bargain.
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At Pittodrie, Aluko brought flair and creativity to the Dons’ attack. In his three seasons with Aberdeen, he clocked over 90 appearances, scoring 9 goals and registering 8 assists across all competitions, helping Aberdeen reach two Scottish Cup semi-finals. His time in Scotland shaped him into the versatile attacker who would later go on to play for Rangers, Hull City, and Fulham.
3. Ibrahim Said – Viborg to Motherwell FC (€135k)
Fast forward to 2025, and another Nigerian winger has decided to test himself in Scotland. Said has only just Motherwell FC from Danish club Viborg this summer for €135,000. The exciting winger will look to make a name for himself in the next couple of years.
2. Peter Ambrose – Ujpest to Aberdeen FC (€300k)
After Sone Aluko blazed the trail, Ambrose became the next Nigerian to take his talents to Aberdeen, joining from Hungarian side Ujpest in the summer of 2024 for €300,000.
The 23-year-old striker had a relatively quiet debut season at Pittodrie, scoring just twice in over 20 appearances across all competitions for Aberdeen last term. He’ll certainly be looking to make more of a bigger impact next season.
1. Cyriel Dessers – Cremonese to Rangers FC (€5.00m)
Topping our list by a considerable mile is Dessers, whose €5 million move to Rangers in 2023 broke records for Nigerian players in Scotland. Arriving from Cremonese, the then 28-year-old striker was tasked with leading the line for the Light Blues as they aimed to wrestle domestic dominance back from Celtic.
In his debut season, Dessers notched 22 goals and 7 assists across all competitions, including crucial strikes in Rangers’ run to the Scottish Cup final, which they won. He followed that with an even more impressive output last season with 29 goals and 6 assists to his name. The Nigerian international’s time in Glasgow is shaping up to be memorable and he appears set for another fantastic campaign at Ibrox.
