Henry Onyekuru, the first Nigerian to join the Saudi Pro League in the summer of 2023, is still recovering from an injury that has kept him off the pitch since April. After helping his team break into the top 10 in just one season, Onyekuru disappeared from action by the end of spring. His lengthy recovery now raises concerns that he could lose the lucrative contract that offers him the highest salary of his career.
What is Henry Onyekuru’s Salary at Al-Fayha FC?
Onyekuru signed with Al-Fayha FC in the summer of 2023, with a contract running until June 2025. For the 2024/2025 season, he is set to earn €4.2 million annually, excluding bonuses. That breaks down to:
|
Annual Salary |
€ 4,198,122 |
7,550,322,747 Nigerian Nairas |
|
Monthly Salary |
€ 349,844 |
629,194,462 Nigerian Nairas |
|
Weekly Salary |
€ 80,733 |
145,198,307 Nigerian Nairas |
|
Daily Salary |
€ 11,533 |
20,742,101 Nigerian Nairas |
Career Salary Growth
Onyekuru’s earnings have seen ups and downs throughout his career. After moving to R.S.C. Anderlecht, his salary jumped by more than 18 times. However, during his second loan at Galatasaray S.K., his salary dropped by €70,000. It fell again by €300,000 after he signed with AS Monaco FC. Later moves back to Turkey and a stint at Olympiacos saw his earnings increase again, and his move to Saudi Arabia resulted in his highest career salary.
|
Club |
Salary Euro per Year (EUR) |
Salary Nigerian Nairas per Year (NGN) |
|
Al-Fayha FC (2023/2025) |
€ 4,198,122 |
7,550,322,747 Nigerian Nairas |
|
Adana Demirspor (2022/2023) |
€ 2,500,000 |
4,496,250,196 Nigerian Nairas |
|
Olympiacos F.C. (2021/2022) |
〜€ 2,407,747 |
〜4,330,333,169 Nigerian Nairas |
|
Galatasaray S.K. (2020/2021) |
€ 1,470,000 |
2,643,795,115 Nigerian Nairas |
|
AS Monaco FC (2020/2021) |
€ 1,030,000 |
1,852,455,081 Nigerian Nairas |
|
Galatasaray S.K. (2019/2020) |
€ 1,630,000 |
2,931,555,128 Nigerian Nairas |
|
AS Monaco FC (2019/2020) |
€ 1,090,000 |
1,960,365,086 Nigerian Nairas |
|
Galatasaray S.K. (2018/2019) |
€ 1,390,000 |
2,499,915,109 Nigerian Nairas |
|
R.S.C. Anderlecht (2017/2018) |
€ 1,460,000 |
2,625,810,115 Nigerian Nairas |
|
K.A.S. Eupen (2015/2017) |
€ 80,000 |
143,880,006 Nigerian Nairas |
Market Value: A Steady Decline Outside of Turkey
In Belgium, Onyekuru helped K.A.S. Eupen rise to the top division, scoring 30 goals. This success saw his market value skyrocket by 93 times. After signing with Everton F.C., he returned to Belgium and helped his team win a domestic cup, which increased his transfer value by 1.5 times. Another loan spell in Turkey, where he became his team’s top scorer, boosted his value further.
However, after failing to secure a place at AS Monaco FC, and repeated loan spells at Galatasaray S.K., his market value began to drop. Frequent injuries in Greece and Saudi Arabia led to a steady decline. As of now, Transfermarkt.com values Onyekuru at €4.5 million, though this still ranks as the second-highest value among Al-Fayha FC players.
|
Club |
Year |
Market Value |
|
Al-Fayha FC |
2024 |
€ 4,500,000 |
|
Adana Demirspor |
2023 |
€ 5,500,000 |
|
Olympiacos F.C. |
2022 |
€ 5,000,000 |
|
Galatasaray S.K. |
2021 |
€ 7,000,000 |
|
AS Monaco FC |
2020 |
€ 6,000,000 |
|
Galatasaray S.K. |
2019 |
€ 13,000,000 |
|
R.S.C. Anderlecht |
2018 |
€ 10,000,000 |
|
K.A.S. Eupen |
2017 |
€ 7,000,000 |
|
K.A.S. Eupen |
2016 |
€ 500,000 |
|
K.A.S. Eupen |
2015 |
€ 75,000 |
Achievements with the Nigerian National Team
Onyekuru made his debut for the Nigerian national team in 2017, participating in two Africa Cup of Nations tournaments (2019 and 2022). His most successful run came in 2019 when Nigeria won bronze after narrowly defeating Tunisia in the third-place playoff. After the 2022 campaign, Onyekuru retired from international football, having played 15 matches, scored one goal, and provided two assists.
What’s Next for Onyekuru?
So far, Onyekuru hasn’t appeared in any games for the 2024/2025 season due to the injury he sustained in April. If he doesn’t make it back onto the field soon, there is a possibility he could part ways with Al-Fayha FC at the end of the season.
