Sportsmoney
WANTED: Chelsea close to seal £100m-rated Caicedo
Chelsea are closing in on the signing of Moisés Caicedo from Brighton and are attempting to hijack Liverpool’s move for Roméo Lavia after submitting a £48m bid for the Southampton midfielder.
Caicedo is Mauricio Pochettino’s top midfield target this summer and talks between the clubs are understood to have progressed this week. Brighton have been holding out for at least £100m for the Ecuador international but it is unclear if Chelsea will agree to pay that much. Chelsea, who hope to have Caicedo signed in time to face Liverpool on Sunday, have been trying to negotiate a lower fee and their most recent bid was worth £80m.
There has been no agreement yet and the lack of movement is understood to have frustrated Caicedo. The 21-year-old was unavailable for Brighton’s friendly against Rayo Vallecano on Sunday, with the club attributing his absence to a hamstring problem, and was absent from training on Monday.
Sources close to Caicedo, who wants to move to Stamford Bridge, maintained that his absence from training was not down to injury. Brighton are trying to strengthen by signing the attacking midfielder Mohammed Kudus from Ajax.
Chelsea have been working hard to add more depth and experience in midfield. They are also in talks over a £20m move for Leeds United’s Tyler Adams and stepped up their interest in Lavia on Wednesday night.
Liverpool have had multiple bids turned down for Lavia – the latest worth £45m – and Southampton want £50m for the Belgium international. The former Manchester City player has also attracted interest from Arsenal and Manchester United, while Chelsea have been monitoring him all summer. Chelsea tried to sign Lavia last year and have now put pressure on Liverpool by making an official bid. They have also been linked with Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall but Leicester do not want to sell the midfielder.
Brighton’s stance on Caicedo, who signed a new deal earlier this year, has been informed by West Ham selling Declan Rice to Arsenal for £105m. They can also point to Chelsea breaking the British transfer record when they bought the Argentina midfielder Enzo Fernández for £106.8m in January. Pochettino’s only two senior midfielders are currently Fernández and Conor Gallagher, with his other options made up of players with little Premier League experience. Chelsea are due to loan the Italian midfielder Cesare Casadei to Leicester.
Chelsea have spent heavily since being bought by Todd Boehly and Clearlake Capital last summer and confidence is rising that they are about to pay another large fee to land Caicedo. Pochettino is also interested in a striker but will not be signing Juventus’s Dusan Vlahovic. The manager is prepared to keep the teenage striker Mason Burstow as part of the first-team squad. Burstow impressed during pre-season.
Bayern Munich are in talks over signing the Chelsea goalkeeper Kepa Arrizabalaga on loan. Thomas Tuchel, Bayern’s manager, worked with Arrizabalaga during his time at Chelsea, who have added competition in goal after signing Robert Sánchez from Brighton for £25m.
Pochettino has named the right-back Reece James as his new captain. Ben Chilwell is Chelsea’s new vice-captain.
Sportsmoney
Top 10 Highest-Paid African Footballers In 2025: Mahrez, Mane & Koulibaly Lead The Rich List
African footballers have never been more dominant—on and off the pitch. The year 2025 shows just how powerful the combination of Saudi Pro League riches and Europe’s financial giants has become, pushing African stars into the upper tier of world football’s earners.
According to official contract figures, Riyad Mahrez currently wears the crown as the highest-paid African footballer in the world, pocketing a staggering £827,448 per week at Al-Ahli.
Mahrez Leads With Record Salary
The 34-year-old Algerian winger joined Al-Ahli in July 2023, becoming one of the marquee faces of Saudi Arabia’s football revolution. Despite being in the twilight of his career, Mahrez remains hugely influential, contributing 29 goals and 35 assists in 78 appearances.
His paycheck—close to £1 million a week—places him far ahead of his peers and cements his status as Africa’s top financial earner in football history.
Sadio Mane & Kalidou Koulibaly Not Far Behind
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Sadio Mane sits second on the list, raking in £634,060 per week at Al-Nassr, where he lines up alongside Cristiano Ronaldo. After a mixed stint at Bayern Munich, Mane has rediscovered his form and fortune in Saudi Arabia.
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Kalidou Koulibaly, also from Senegal, takes home £550,047 weekly at Al-Hilal after swapping Chelsea for Riyadh in 2023. The veteran defender’s leadership has been key in keeping Al-Hilal at the top of the Pro League.

Salah Still Europe’s Top Earner
Among African players still in Europe, Mohamed Salah reigns supreme. The Egyptian King earns £350,000 per week at Liverpool, having signed a fresh extension in April 2025. His loyalty was rewarded not just with financial security but also with another Premier League title in 2024/25, keeping him as one of the continent’s most influential athletes.

Osimhen, Hakimi & Kessie Break Into The Top Ten
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Victor Osimhen – Following a successful loan, the Nigerian forward sealed a permanent move to Galatasaray in July 2025, earning £250,000 per week.
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Achraf Hakimi – The Moroccan right-back continues to shine at PSG, with wages of £230,639 weekly.
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Franck Kessie – Since leaving Barcelona for Al-Ahli in 2023, the Ivorian midfielder has been collecting £221,921 per week.

The Veterans: Inaki Williams & Edouard Mendy
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Inaki Williams, loyal to Athletic Bilbao, earns £180,707 weekly, making him one of La Liga’s highest-paid African stars.
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Edouard Mendy, meanwhile, thrives at Al-Ahli with 32 clean sheets in 74 games and wages of £174,366 per week.

Top 10 Highest-Paid African Footballers Weekly Salaries (2025)
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Riyad Mahrez (Al-Ahli) – £827,448
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Sadio Mane (Al-Nassr) – £634,060
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Kalidou Koulibaly (Al-Hilal) – £550,047
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Mohamed Salah (Liverpool) – £350,000
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Omar Marmoush (Man City) – £295,000
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Victor Osimhen (Galatasaray) – £250,000
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Achraf Hakimi (PSG) – £230,639
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Franck Kessie (Al-Ahli) – £221,921
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Inaki Williams (Athletic Bilbao) – £180,707
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Edouard Mendy (Al-Ahli) – £174,366
The Rise Of African Power Earners
The financial dominance of Saudi clubs on this list reflects a broader shift in world football. African stars are no longer just global icons on the pitch—they are among the highest-paid athletes in the world.
From Mahrez’s record-breaking wages in Riyadh to Salah’s enduring empire at Anfield, 2025 has cemented the fact that African footballers are thriving both in influence and financial power.
Sportsmoney
Inside David Beckham’s £111m Mansions And Manors As Victoria Opens Doors To Netflix Cameras
When it comes to football royalty, few names shine brighter than David Beckham. From Manchester United to Real Madrid and LA Galaxy, Beckham has conquered the football world. But off the pitch, he and his wife Victoria Beckham have built a lifestyle empire that’s now opening up to Netflix cameras once again.
Fans are being treated to a behind-the-scenes look at the Beckhams’ £111 million property portfolio, spread across the UK, Miami, and London. The three-part series starring Victoria Beckham takes viewers beyond the glamour of red carpets and fashion runways, right into the couple’s stunning homes.
A Rustic Retreat In The Cotswolds
The Beckhams’ Grade II-listed farmhouse in the Cotswolds is pure countryside luxury. Purchased in 2016 for £6.15m, the sprawling estate features chandeliers, fireplaces, and a giant orchard. It’s the perfect escape for family gatherings, and yes, cameras capture David casually cooking up family feasts in their giant kitchen.
Miami Mega-Mansion Worth £55m
Across the pond, the Beckhams own one of Florida’s most spectacular properties: a waterfront mansion in Miami, valued at £55m. With six bedrooms, nine bathrooms, a private spa, a theatre, and a pool overlooking Biscayne Bay, it’s their most extravagant purchase yet.
Victoria speaks to viewers from this property’s floor-to-ceiling windowed living room, giving fans a panoramic view of the Atlantic Ocean. No surprise, considering David’s heavy involvement with Inter Miami CF – the MLS club that famously brought Lionel Messi to the U.S.
London Luxury In Holland Park
Back in the English capital, the Beckhams’ Holland Park townhouse shines in Victoria’s documentary. The £31.5m property features a bay-windowed dining area with garden views, alongside luxury add-ons like a gym, spa, wine cellar, and even a nail salon. After investing a further £8m in renovations, this home epitomizes celebrity living in London.
More Than Just Mansions
The Netflix documentary doesn’t just highlight luxury; it shows the Beckhams’ balance of family, fame, and legacy. For David, who already has a football-focused Netflix feature under his belt, and Victoria, now stepping into the spotlight with her own series, it’s about more than just homes—it’s about letting fans into their world.
From football legend to lifestyle mogul, David Beckham’s story continues to evolve, and the mansions are simply part of the bigger picture.
Sportsmoney
Cristiano Ronaldo Becomes Football’s First Billionaire Player
Cristiano Ronaldo has once again broken records — this time not on the pitch, but in the world of wealth. According to Bloomberg’s Billionaires Index, the 40-year-old Portugal and Al-Nassr forward has officially become football’s first billionaire player, with an estimated net worth of $1.4 billion (£1.04bn).
A Journey Of Goals And Gold
Bloomberg’s valuation takes into account Ronaldo’s career earnings, endorsements, and investments. The numbers are mind-blowing:
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$550m (£410m) in salary between 2002 and 2023.
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A decade-long Nike deal worth nearly $18m (£13.4m) a year.
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His mega Saudi Pro League contract with Al-Nassr, reportedly paying him a record £177m annually.
And if that wasn’t enough, Ronaldo signed a new two-year deal worth over $400m (£298m), keeping him at Al-Nassr beyond his 42nd birthday.
Messi vs Ronaldo: The Financial Rivalry
As always, Lionel Messi isn’t far from the conversation. The Argentine and Inter Miami star has earned over $600m (£447m) in pre-tax salary during his illustrious career. He also secures $20m (£15m) annually since 2023, which, according to Bloomberg, is just about 10% of Ronaldo’s income in the same period.
Messi may not top Ronaldo’s financial status yet, but his retirement plan includes a stake in Inter Miami, setting him up for billionaire territory too.
More Than Just A Player
Ronaldo’s financial empire is built on more than football. With savvy investments, endorsement deals, and a global brand that stretches across fashion, fitness, and lifestyle, CR7 has transformed himself into a global sports business icon.
The billionaire milestone proves what fans already knew: Cristiano Ronaldo is not just a football legend — he’s an empire.
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