Top African Stars to Look Out for in the Reminder of 2024/25 LaLiga this Season

Football is seen as the king of sports due to its wild popularity. The fervid interest in the sport and the appeal it enjoys is buttressed by statistics from FIFA which has it that over 1.5 billion viewers tuned in to the final match of the 2022 World Cup in Qatar. Interest in the round-leather game can be traced to the popular national leagues that keep the machinery running year after year with only a few months break from the end of May to around the middle of August. 

LaLiga has long been a destination for some of the world’s most talented footballers, and African players have consistently made their mark in Spain’s top flight. From towering center-backs to electrifying wingers and clinical goal-scorers, African players have made a significant impact in Spain’s top football division. With football returning for the 2024/2025 Season, there are many African football stars to look out for as they battle for glory and survival in leagues across the world. Sportblot presents them to you below: 

Umar Sadiq (Nigeria): Real Sociedad to Valencia CF (Loan)

Nigerian striker Umar Sadiq began his professional career in 2014, signing for the Spezia youth team from Abuja College in Nigeria. After a successful season with the Italian team's Under-19 team, in which he scored 25 goals in 28 games, he signed for AS Roma's Under-19 side, scoring 19 goals in 19 games. This led him to make his debut with the first team, playing in 6 games and scoring 2 goals. 

His earliest venture into Spanish football came at UD Almería. Within three seasons from 2020, he accumulated 43 goals and 13 assists in 84 games, in addition to helping the team to promotion to LaLiga EA Sports.

Scoring over 40 goals in two seasons and winning the LALIGA HYPERMOTION title in 2021/22 earned Sadiq a move to Real Sociedad in 2022, but injuries hampered his progress. Now on loan at Valencia CF until June 2025, the Nigerian has the chance to rediscover his scoring form and help his new team climb the table. Sadiq joins a squad that includes fellow African player Mouctar Diakhaby (Guinea).

Juma Bah: From Sierra Leone to Real Valladolid

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One of the rising stars of La Liga is Juma Bah. The defender born in 2006 hadn’t played outside of Sierra Leone until September of last year. As of now, he has started 10 professional matches in Europe. His rise in La Liga has attracted the attention of top clubs across Europe.

When Bah was initially spotted and invited to play in an organised format in his home country, he recalled the experience as “stressful”, owing to the fact that he didn’t then own a pair of football boots. He admitted to nearly having a heart attack upon being named in a La Liga starting XI.

Pachu Martínez – the scouting coordinator at Real Valladolid – went to see him play in Freetown. The ex-player is currently leading a long-term project for the club in scouting across Africa, and had received a tip from the player’s agent, Patrick Mork, about a young defender that could be of interest. Pachu, inevitably, liked what he saw.

Bah soon arrived in Spain and began with his new club’s juvenil side. Standing at roughly 6-foot-4 inches tall coupled with his strength and excellent defensive skills, Bah has impressed many with his ability to read the game, intercept passes, and dominate aerial duels. 

Akor Adams (Nigeria): Montpellier to Sevilla

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Akor Adams, a promising Nigerian striker, spent two years in France, scoring 11 goals in over 45 appearances across all competitions. 

His professional career began in August 2018 when he joined Norwegian side Sogndal from Nigeria’s Jamba Football Academy. The lethal forward caught the attention of scouts across Europe, leading to his move to Ligue 1 club Montpellier in August 2023.

Despite facing challenges, including an injury that sidelined him during the 2020 season, Akor showcased his determination by scoring 10 goals in 28 games for Sogndal before his contract expired in 2021.

Fast forward to January 2025, Akor Adams has now joined Sevilla FC, one of Spain’s most storied football clubs. The La Liga side secured his services for approximately €5 million, with Akor signing a contract until 2029. 

The former Nigeria U-20 international, who featured in the 2019 FIFA U-20 World Cup, made his Sevilla debut in a goalless draw against Getafe on February 1, 2025.

Akor’s move signals the Andalusian side’s belief in his potential, and fans will be eager to see if he can replicate the form that made him such a sought-after talent in France.

Joseph Aidoo (Ghana): RC Celta to Real Valladolid (Loan)

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Ghanaian centre-back Joseph Aidoo has been a La Liga mainstay since joining RC Celta in 2019 from Belgian side Genk. The 28-year-old defender began his European journey in 2015 with Swedish side Hammarby before moving to Belgian outfit KRC Genk in 2017.

His impressive performances there earned him a transfer to RC Celta in 2019, where he became a key figure in the Galician club’s backline.

Over the years, Aidoo has amassed 131 LaLiga appearances, showcasing his defensive solidity and aerial strength while also chipping in with three goals.

However, this season has been a frustrating one for the Ghanaian international.

A long-term injury sidelined him for most of the campaign, and upon his return, he found himself struggling for minutes, making just a single one-minute appearance for Celta.

Aidoo has now joined Real Valladolid CF on loan, where he is expected to fill the void left by teenage sensation Juma Bah’s departure. He joins the club on loan until the end of the 2024/25 season after struggling for minutes in the first half of the season.

His physicality and experience in Spain’s top tier will be crucial as Real Valladolid which in need of defensive reinforcements to strengthen its backline and avoid relegation.

Ismaël Bennacer (Algeria) – Sevilla FC

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Born in the heart of Bouches-du-Rhône in the city of Arles, this Algerian playmaker began his professional career in his training club AC Arles-Avignon in January 2015. 

Ismaël Bennacer was quickly spotted by scouts from the London club Arsenal – a club he joined in the summer of 2015 – who detected in him his ability to repeat efforts and his sense of combat. A hard-working midfielder but also skilled with his left foot, the Provençal decided to sign on loan with Tours FC in the winter of 2017.

He has been a revelation in Sevilla’s midfield this season. The, known for his composure on the ball and ability to dictate the tempo of the game, has become the heartbeat of the team. Bennacer’s vision and passing range have unlocked defenses throughout the campaign, while his tenacity in winning back possession has added a new dimension to Sevilla’s play. 

The performances of this defensive midfielder have drawn comparisons to some of the league’s all-time great midfielders.

Meanwhile, Ismaël Bennacer has one year and €3,450,000 Estimated Gross Salary remaining on his contract with Marseille (Ligue 1), expiring on Jun 30, 2025. He will earn an Estimated Base Salary of €3,450,000 for the 2024-2025 Season, or €66,346 gross per week, excluding bonuses.

Maroan Sannadi (Morocco): Deportivo Alavés to Athletic Club

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A player with dual nationality, 24-year-old striker Maroan Sannadi had the option to represent Spain but opted for Morocco, stating that playing for the Atlas Lions was his “biggest dream.” Born and raised in the Basque Country, Sannadi was on Athletic Club’s radar for months before securing a move on his 24th birthday, signing a four-and-a-half-year deal from Deportivo Alavés.

The Moroccan striker showed his brilliance at Barakaldo CF, netting 11 in 20 games to finish the season as the top scorer in his Primera Federación group.

Sannadi’s professional career began in 2021 at Deportivo Alavés after he completed a transfer from CD Ariznabarra. Earlier, he played for CD Aurrera de Vitoria and CD Lakua, affiliated to Deportivo Alavés.

After three seasons of work in the youth teams of CD San Ignacio and the Babazorro reserve team, where he netted 33 goals, Sannadi joined Barakaldo CF to continue his meteoric rise.

His transfer follows an impressive loan spell at Barakaldo CF, where he netted 11 goals in 20 games to finish as the top scorer in the third tier. Athletic Club will be hoping his goal-scoring prowess translates to La Liga, as the club continues its tradition of signing Basque-born talents.

Luis ‘Duk’ Lopes (Cape Verde): Aberdeen FC to CD Leganés

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The Cape Verde international, born in Portugal but representing the island nation since 2022, joins CD Leganés after an impressive three-year spell in Scottish football.

Born in Cape Verde, Duk - who adopted his father's nickname - moved to Portugal with his parents while at primary school. He was picked up by Sporting at the age of 12 but was released, mainly because of his size having played centre-back.

He ended up joining a small club in Lisbon, Montelavarenses. It was there he was spotted by Roberto Rocha, a coach who now helps look after the player. Rocha was starting up a new under-15s team in Lisbon and looking for players.

Duk scored three goals in the UEFA Conference League last season and has already captained the national team. Duk will add more firepower to a Leganés side that has already claimed victories over FC Barcelona and Atlético de Madrid this season.