LaLiga: How Europa League kings turned this Super Eagles star into massive N18.74bn profit machine in 18 months

When LaLiga outfit Sevilla FC quietly snapped up Akor Adams from French club Montpellier in January 2025 for a bargain €5m, rivals barely batted an eye. 

18 months, 37 appearances, and 10 goals later, the seven-time UEFA Europa League winners have cashed in on the Super Eagles striker for a staggering €17m plus add-ons.

For a club navigating La Liga’s strict financial fair play rules, generating a net €12m profit on a single player in under two years is nothing short of a masterclass.

So, how did LaLiga side Sevilla pull off another classic piece of transfer business?

Sevilla’s recruitment team identified Adams as an undervalued power-forward in Ligue 1. 

His physical metrics, aerial dominance, and pressing intensity made him tailor-made for La Liga’s physical encounters, allowing him to adapt without needing an adjustment period.

By putting Adams straight into the starting XI, Sevilla gave the Nigerian the exact platform he needed to earn his senior Super Eagles call-up. 

His starring role in Nigeria’s AFCON 2025 campaign instantly inflated his international profile and market valuation across Europe.

The €12m profit provides Sevilla with vital breathing room under LaLiga’s wage cap ahead of the 2026/27 campaign. 

Instead of being forced into selling core academy talent, the club converted a short-term sporting investment into immediate liquidity.

While some fans, especially Nigerians, are still shocked and surprised by the sudden sale to Serie A newcomers Venezia FC, inside the Ramon Sanchez-Pizjuan, the operation will be celebrated as a flawless execution of the club’s famous sell-high model.