Ranked! Bafana Bafana's Top 10 most valuable players ahead of 2025 AFCON in Morocco

In January 2025, rumours swirled that a Middle Eastern club was prepared to pay R40 million for the 27-year-old, but Pirates squashed those with an angry statement denying any such thing. That then leaves us with his estimated value as still around the R24 million mark when his former Portuguese club UD Oliveirense expressed an interest in late 2024. 

Of course, Bafana stalwart and captain is the only goalkeeper on the list. Since his 2022 move to Sundowns for a reported 'eight-figure sum', the keeper has established himself as the undisputed No. 1 for club and country. 

When Pirates signed the centre back in 2022, the rumoured fee was in the range of R12 million. Now, though, after 109 appearances across all competitions for Bucs and adding 17 Bafana caps to his name, his value has increased. However, at 30 years old, it would be tough for Pirates to get a fee anywhere near his evaluation.  

When the defender left SuperSport United in 2020, they slapped a R22 million evaluation on the player but eventually settled for a reported R12 million from Mamelodi Sundowns. Since then, he has proved himself to be one of the best in his position this country has ever seen. So much so that at 30 years old, he still holds significant value if The Brazilians ever had a rush of blood to the head and decided to sell him.  

As the 21-year-old moved to the Saudi Pro League, we pretty much know everything about his valuation. A base transfer fee of R37 million, rising to R52 million with add-ons, and we even know his wage structure, which makes him a very rich young man indeed, despite his teammate Georginio Wijnaldum earning 14 times the South African's annual wage.  

At the end of the latest season, transfer rumours were rife that the prodigiously talented youngster would be off to European club football. At that time, KickOff spoke to experts in African player transfers to Europe and established his value at a base price of R40 million that could skyrocket to as much as R75 million with performance add-ons.  

When Sundowns closed the deal for the striker from Stellenbosch for a reported R17 million fee, they knew two things. One, they had a great striker on the books who would score a bagful of goals, and two, they had got themselves a bargain. Just a year later after interest from Scottish club Glasgow Rangers and Dutch giants PSV Eindhoven saw a figure of R56 million as the asking price. 

When the midfielder won Footballer of the Season in the 2022/23 and then followed that up with outstanding performances for the national team at the 2024 Africa Cup of Nations, it seemed the then 27-year-old was destined for pastures new. Sundowns, though, slapped a R96 million price tag on him, and that proved to be a bit too rich for Premier League club Bournemouth or Ligue 1 giants Monaco to stump up for his services.  

When Romania's FCSB surprisingly took the centre back from Kaizer Chiefs for just R12 million, they quickly unlocked both the player's potential and value. After acquitting himself well in the SuperLiga, Champions League and Europa League, the 28-year-old's value has skyrocketed to R120 million should they decide to cash in. 

His move to then Championship, now Premier League, side Burnley from Westerlo for R131 million made him the most expensive South African footballer of all time. Since then, he's only burnished his reputation and increased his value, and the rumoured fee to prise him away from Turf Moor has risen to a staggering R256 million.