Obinna Nwobodo’s Salary and Contract Extension Prospects in FC Cincinnati

The Nigerian midfielder has led FC Cincinnati to its first-ever trophy in the elite American division in his first season in the USA. In 2024, the midfielder aims not only to guide the team to the MLS Cup final but also to persuade the club to extend his contract.

What is Obinna Nwobodo’s Salary at FC Cincinnati?

The midfielder joined the American team in the spring of 2022, with the agreement running until June 30, 2024. For the remaining year in America, he will earn €1,070,535 excluding bonuses, which amounts to €20,587 per week.

Team Salary Overview: Nwobodo Among Top 3 Highest-paid African players in the MLS

In the 2023/2024 season, FC Cincinnati’s total payroll amounts to €8,437,186, or €162,254 per week. The highest-paid player on the team is attacking midfielder Luciano Acosta, who receives €1,801,372 per year, or €34,642 per week.

Obinna Nwobodo, on the other hand, ranks among the top three highest-paid players of the club. Additionally, the Nigerian midfielder occupies the second spot in the salary rankings among foreign players of FC Cincinnati. Only Acosta earns more, with his salary exceeding Nwobodo’s by more than one and a half times. 

Nwobodo is also among the top three highest-paid African players in the MLS. Following him, Senegal’s Jamal Thiare from Atlanta United FC earns almost €165,000 less. The midfielder also has the highest salary among Nigerian players. The second-placed forward at Houston Dynamo FC, Ibrahim Aliyu, earns almost three times less.

Career Salary Comparison

The lucrative contract with Cincinati nearly doubled his salary after the Turkish Superlig. In one year, Nwobodo secured a place in FC Cincinnati’s starting lineup, helped the club to win its second title in history, and increased his earnings by over €235,000, becoming the highest in the player’s career.

Market Value

Nwobodo ‘s European career began in Hungary. In three seasons at Ujpest FC, the midfielder became a key player, contributed to 37 goals, played in the Europa League, and saw his transfer value increase by more than 3.5 times. His value continued to rise after his debut in the Turkish Superlig: in just one season at Goztepe S.K., it increased by almost 2.5 times.

In the spring of 2022, the Nigerian moved continents and joined the MLS with FC Cincinnati, winning the team’s first Supporters’ Shield in history. Thanks to rapid adaptation and successful performances, the midfielder’s value nearly doubled, reaching its peak and remaining unchanged since then. Transfermarkt currently values the Nigerian footballer at €2.5 million. Thus, Nwobodo ranks sixth in the list of the most expensive players of his current team. 

Achievements with the National Team

Obinna Nwobodo has never played for the senior Nigerian national team. However, in 2015, the midfielder represented the youth national team at the African Cup of Nations. Nwobodo played in four out of five matches, scored a goal in the semifinals against Ghana, and helped Nigeria reach the final, where they defeated Senegal by a minimal score and won the gold medal.

Football and Financial Prospects

Obinna Nwobodo started the 2024 season as a solid starting eleven player of the team. If the Nigerian midfielder helps FC Cincinnati reach the playoffs and win the title, it is likely that the club will activate the option to extend his contract until 2025 with a salary increase.