Rafiu Durosinmi: Nigeria striker makes record €10.5m move from Pisa to Genk

New Nigeria international forward Rafiu Durosinmi has completed a record transfer from relegated Serie A side Pisa to Belgian club Genk in a deal worth about €10.5m plus bonuses.

The move represents the most lucrative outgoing transfer in Pisa’s history, surpassing the club’s previous record sale of Lorenzo Lucca to Udinese for €8m in 2024.

Italian journalist Gianluca Di Marzio reports that the agreement also includes a 10% sell-on clause, ensuring Pisa benefit from any future transfer involving the 21-year-old.

Pisa’s biggest-ever sale

The deal is a major financial boost for Pisa, who were relegated from Italy’s top flight last season and only signed Durosinmi six months ago from Czech side Viktoria Plzen.

Despite modest statistics in Italy – one goal and one assist in 12 appearances – the striker’s potential and recent breakthrough at international level with Nigeria have driven his value sharply upwards.

Durosinmi had joined Pisa on a long-term contract running until the summer of 2030, but Genk’s offer has delivered what is described as the most profitable sale in the Italian club’s history.

The outgoing fee eclipses the transfer that took Lorenzo Lucca to Udinese, underlining how highly Durosinmi is regarded despite Pisa’s struggles on the pitch.

Long-term admirers win race for signature

Genk have been tracking Durosinmi for some time and see him as a key part of their attacking rebuild, as well as a player who can be developed and potentially sold on to one of Europe’s major leagues.

The Belgian side faced competition from Turkish club Trabzonspor, who also made an offer for the forward. However, Durosinmi is understood to have turned down the move to Turkey in favour of joining Genk, who have been long-standing admirers.

The club’s reputation for nurturing young talent and providing a springboard to Europe’s top five leagues is believed to have been decisive in the player’s choice.

Stepping stone to Europe’s elite

Genk have built a strong track record of developing players and selling them on to bigger clubs, a model that appears to align with Durosinmi’s ambitions.

The move to Belgium is seen by those close to the deal as a strategic step for the Nigerian, who is aiming to use the Jupiler Pro League as a platform to secure a future transfer to one of Europe’s leading competitions.

While Durosinmi’s impact at Pisa was limited in terms of goals and assists, his physical attributes, work rate and international recognition with Nigeria have convinced Genk that he can flourish in a new environment.

With Pisa securing a record fee and a future stake in any subsequent transfer, and Genk adding a promising international forward to their ranks, the move is being viewed as a significant moment in the early stages of Durosinmi’s European career.