Kick Off Nigeria looks into the finances of the Nigerian player, who has proven surprisingly successful during another lean spell. David Okereke has immediately become a key player, started scoring goals, and is now earning the highest salary of his career. This successful season could not only restore striker’s confidence but also earn him a permanent contract with Gaziantep F.K. on improved terms.
What Is David Okereke’s Salary at Gaziantep F.K.?
The former Nigerian youth international joined the Turkish club in the fall of 2024 on loan from US Cremonese. The agreement runs until June 30, 2025. For the 2024/25 season, the Nigerian forward will earn €1,000,000 before bonuses, which equates to €19,231 per week.
|
Annual Salary |
€ 1,000,000 |
1,563,587,730 Nigerian Nairas |
|
Monthly Salary |
€ 83,333 |
130,298,456 Nigerian Nairas |
|
Weekly Salary |
€ 19,231 |
30,069,356 Ngerian Nairas |
|
Daily Salary |
€ 2,747 |
4,295,176 Nigerian Nairas |
Team Salary Overview: Okereke Among the Top Three Highest-Paid Foreign Players
In the 2024/2025 season, Gaziantep F.K.’s total salary expenditure amounts to €13,900,000 per year, or €267,308 per week. The club’s highest-paid footballer is forward Halil Dervişoğlu, who is on loan from Galatasaray S.K. and earns €1,600,000 per year (€30,769 per week).
David Okereke ranks fourth in the club’s salary standings. He is also the third-highest-paid foreign player at Gaziantep F.K. The next highest-paid foreigner, Emmanuel Boateng, earns €170,000 less. Additionally, Okereke is the second highest-paid African footballer at the club and has the second-highest salary among Gaziantep’s players under 30.
|
Player |
Country |
Annual Salary (EUR) |
|
Halil Dervisoglu |
Turkey |
€ 1,600,000 |
|
Alexandru Maxim |
Romania |
€ 1,550,000 |
|
Badou Ndiaye |
Senegal |
€ 1,330,000 |
|
David Okereke |
Nigeria |
€ 1,000,000 |
|
Emmanuel Boateng |
Ghana |
€ 830,000 |
Moreover, Okereke ranks fourth among the highest-paid Nigerian players in the Turkish Süper Lig. Hatayspor forward Jonathan Okoronkwo, who rounds out the top five, earns more than 1.5 times less.
|
Player |
Country |
Club |
Annual Salary (EUR) |
|
Victor Osimhen |
Nigeria |
Galatasaray S.K. |
€ 10,000,000 |
|
Bright Osayi-Samuel |
Nigeria |
Fenerbahce S.K. |
€ 3,000,000 |
|
Anthony Nwakaeme |
Nigeria |
Trabzonspor |
€ 2,500,000 |
|
David Okereke |
Nigeria |
Gaziantep F.K. |
€ 1,000,000 |
|
Jonathan Okoronkwo |
Nigeria |
Hatayspor |
€ 600,000 |
Career Salary Comparison
After a successful season in Serie B with Spezia Calcio, Okereke moved to Belgium, where his salary increased by approximately 3.5 times. Despite winning the league title in his debut season with Club Brugge KV, his earnings dropped by nearly 1.5 times the following year.
After a loan move to Venezia FC, his salary decreased by €10,000. Following US Cremonese’s relegation from Serie A, his earnings rose by over 1.5 times and remained unchanged even after a loan spell at Torino FC.
Upon his move to Turkey, Okereke’s salary increased by almost 1.5 times, making it the highest of his career.
|
Club |
Salary Euro per Year (EUR) |
Salary Nigerian Nairas per Year (NGN) |
|
Gaziantep F.K. (2024/2025) |
€ 1,000,000 |
1,563,587,730 Nigerian Nairas |
|
Torino FC (2023/2024) |
€ 770,000 |
1,203,962,552 Nigerian Nairas |
|
US Cremonese (2022/2023) |
€ 770,000 |
1,203,962,552 Nigerian Nairas |
|
Venezia FC (2021/2022) |
€ 470,000 |
734,886,233 Nigerian Nairas |
|
Club Brugge KV (2020/2021) |
€ 480,000 |
750,522,110 Nigerian Nairas |
|
Club Brugge KV (2019/2020) |
€ 650,000 |
1,016,332,025 Nigerian Nairas |
|
Spezia Calcio (2016/2019) |
〜€ 190,000 |
〜297,081,669 Nigerian Nairas |
Market Value: Decline Despite Return to Italy
During his three years at Spezia Calcio, Okereke established himself as a key player and became the top scorer in the 2018/19 season. This led to a 20-fold increase in his transfer value.
A successful debut season with Club Brugge KV resulted in a 5.5-fold increase in his market value, reaching its peak. However, his declining stats and inconsistent performances caused his value to drop by more than three times.
Currently, Transfermarkt.com values Okereke at €2.4 million, making him the second most valuable player at Gaziantep F.K.
|
Club |
Year |
Market Value |
|
Gaziantep F.K. |
2024 |
€ 2,400,000 |
|
US Cremonese/ Torino FC |
2023 |
€ 4,000,000 |
|
Venezia FC |
2022 |
€ 4,500,000 |
|
Club Brugge KV |
2021 |
€ 3,500,000 |
|
Club Brugge KV |
2020 |
€ 5,500,000 |
|
Club Brugge KV |
2019 (September) |
€ 11,000,000 |
|
Spezia Calcio |
2019 (January) |
€ 2,000,000 |
|
Spezia Calcio |
2018 |
€ 350,000 |
|
Spezia Calcio |
2017 |
€ 250,000 |
|
Spezia Calcio |
2016 |
€ 100,000 |
National Team
David Okereke debuted for Nigeria’s U23 team in 2019, scoring his first and only goal against Libya in a qualifier for the U23 AFCON. He has not played for Nigeria at any level since.
Prospects
Okereke is a key player for Gaziantep F.K. in the 2024/2025 season. Despite a hamstring injury in late October, he returned after missing just two matches. He is currently the team’s top scorer, and his goals have been crucial in moving the club away from relegation.
If he maintains his form, Gaziantep F.K. could sign him permanently, or he could attract interest from bigger Turkish clubs offering a more lucrative contract.
