Sofiane Boufal’s Libya move puts him among Africa’s highest-paid players

Sofiane Boufal has joined Al-Ittihad Tripoli after leaving Le Havre, with the move set to make the Morocco international one of the best-paid footballers playing in Africa.

The 32-year-old has signed for the Libyan club on a reported salary of $5m (£3.7m) per season, equivalent to about €4.3m. That figure puts him level with Fiston Mayele at the top of the continent’s wage rankings, according to Africafoot.

Boufal’s switch is the first time he has played for a club in Africa during his career. His decision to move to Libya is unexpected, but it reflects the growing financial ambitions of the country’s leading clubs, particularly those based in the capital, Tripoli.

Mayele moved in the opposite direction within the city a few weeks earlier, leaving Pyramids FC to join Al-Ahli Tripoli, Al-Ittihad’s local rivals. His contract was reported to be worth $10m over two seasons, giving him an annual salary of $5m.

The scale of the deals underlines the ability of Libya’s biggest clubs to compete financially for established names, despite the country’s football development having been affected by years of instability.

Boufal had other options in Europe after his departure from Le Havre. He had been linked with a return to Spain, while Metz were also reported to be interested. The forward had continued to hope he would be included in Morocco’s World Cup plans, but he ultimately missed out.

He made 17 Ligue 1 appearances for Le Havre, scoring once and providing four assists. Before joining the French club, Boufal had played for Lille, Southampton, Celta Vigo, Al-Rayyan and Union Saint-Gilloise.

Al-Ittihad are the record holders in the Libyan league, with 18 championships. Their recruitment of Boufal follows Al-Ahli’s capture of Mayele, who had helped Pyramids win the African Champions League.

The two Tripoli clubs’ spending marks a significant change in the profile of Libyan football. For years, the domestic game has lagged behind that of neighbouring Algeria, Tunisia and Egypt, whose larger populations provide a broader base of players and supporters.

The latest investments suggest an effort is under way to revive the Libyan game and make its leading clubs more prominent on the African stage. If the policy continues, further arrivals involving well-known players could become increasingly common in future transfer windows.

That could allow the Libyan league to establish itself as a new destination for high-profile footballers, alongside the more established football powers of Egypt, Morocco and South Africa.

For Boufal, the move represents a new chapter after a career spent largely in Europe and the Middle East. It also comes with a substantial financial reward, placing him alongside Mayele as the highest-paid player currently operating on the African continent.