Facing the threat of relegation from the Primeira Liga at the end of the 2023/2024 season, Rio Ave F.C. recalled striker Abdul-Aziz Yakubu from his loan in China. Before his departure, the Ghanaian was a key figure for the Portuguese team, playing a crucial role with his goals in 2022, which helped the club secure a promotion. Now, Aziz aims not only to help the team stay in the elite division but also to secure a new and improved contract.
What is Abdul-Aziz Yakubu’s Salary at Rio Ave F.C.?
The Ghanaian rejoined the Portuguese team in the summer of 2021 on a loan basis. After a season and achieving promotion to the Primeira, the club announced signing a permanent deal with the striker, set to last until June 30, 2025. For the remaining two years in Portugal, Abdul-Aziz Yakubu, more commonly known as Aziz, will receive €300,000 excluding bonuses. For the 2023/24 season, the Ghanaian footballer will earn €150,000, which amounts to €2,885 per week.
|
Annual Salary |
€ 150,000 |
2,091,985 Ghanaian Cedis |
|
Monthly Salary |
€ 12,500 |
175,305 Ghanaian Cedis |
|
Weekly Salary |
€ 2,885 |
40,460 Ghanaian Cedis |
|
Daily Salary |
€ 412 |
5,778 Ghanaian Cedis |
Team Salary Overview: Aziz Among the Top Five Highest-Paid Ghanaian Players
For the 2023/2024 season, Rio Ave F.C.’s total salary expenditure amounts to €4,820,000 per year, which is €92,692 per week. The highest-paid player on the team is midfielder Adrien Silva, a former Portuguese national team player, who earns €600,000 a year: €11,538 per week. Aziz, in turn, ranks seventh in the salary rankings, sharing this position with three other players.
The Ghanaian striker is fourth among the highest-paid foreign and non-European players at the Portuguese club. The fifth in this ranking, Brazilian goalkeeper Jhonatan, earns €10,000 less. Also, Aziz has the second-highest salary among African players at Rio Ave F.C., with only striker Emmanuel Boateng earning more. The next after Aziz, Moroccan Amine Oudrhiri, earns €20,000 less.
|
Player |
Country |
Annual Salary (EUR) |
|
Cristian Devenish |
Colombia |
€ 460,000 |
|
Emmanuel Boateng |
Ghana |
€ 420,000 |
|
Aderllan Santos |
Brazil |
€ 170,000 |
|
Patrick William |
Brazil |
€ 150,000 |
|
Aziz |
Ghana |
€ 150,000 |
|
Jhonatan |
Brazil |
€ 140,000 |
Moreover, Aziz is the fourth highest-paid Ghanaian player in the Primeira Liga. Closing the top-5, midfielder Yaw Moses from F.C. Arouca earns nearly four times less.
|
Player |
Country |
Club |
Annual Salary (EUR) |
|
Emmanuel Boateng |
Ghana |
Rio Ave F.C. |
€ 420,000 |
|
Issah Abass |
Ghana |
G.D. Chaves |
€ 240,000 |
|
Lawrence Ofori |
Ghana |
Moreirense F.C. |
€ 180,000 |
|
Aziz |
Ghana |
Rio Ave F.C. |
€ 150,000 |
|
Yaw Moses |
Ghana |
F.C. Arouca |
€ 40,000 |
Career Salary Comparison
After a standout season on loan at Vitoria S.C.’s second team, the striker signed a permanent contract with the club, at which point his salary increased by 2.5 times. Following a series of loans in Portugal’s second division, Aziz moved to Rio Ave F.C., and his earnings tripled, marking the highest in his career.
|
Club |
Salary Euro per Year (EUR) |
Salary Ghanaian Cedi per Year (GHS) |
|
Rio Ave F.C. (2022/2024) |
€ 150,000 |
2,091,985 Ghanaian Cedis |
|
Vitoria S.C. (2019/2022) |
€ 50,000 |
701,101 Ghanaian Cedis |
|
Vitoria S.C. (2018/2019) |
€ 20,000 |
280,441 Ghanaian Cedis |
Market Value: Significant Post-Loan Growth
After missing his first full season at Vitoria S.C. due to a serious injury, the striker’s transfer value nearly halved by the time he was loaned to G.D. Estoril Praia. However, in the 2020/2021 season, Aziz helped the team gain promotion to the Primeira, and in the next second league season, he led Rio Ave F.C. to the top division as well.
Thanks to his standout performances for both clubs, the transfer sum of the Ghanaian striker increased more than sixfold, reaching its peak. Although a seasonal loan to China proved statistically successful, the Ghanaian’s value dropped by €500,000. Nevertheless, after returning to the Primeira, his transfer value returned to its highest level.
Currently, Transfermarkt values the Ghanaian striker at €2.5 million, making Aziz the second most expensive player at Rio Ave F.C., with only Portuguese defender Costinha valued higher.
|
Club |
Year |
Market Value |
|
Rio Ave F.C. |
2024 |
€ 2,500,000 |
|
Wuhan Three Towns F.C. |
2023 |
€ 2,000,000 |
|
Rio Ave F.C. |
2022 |
€ 2,500,000 |
|
G.D. Estoril Praia |
2021 |
€ 700,000 |
|
G.D. Estoril Praia |
2020 |
€ 400,000 |
|
Vitoria S.C. |
2019 |
€ 700,000 |
Achievements and Salary Prospects
Abdul-Aziz Yakubu has never played for the Ghana national team, having spent much of his career in Portugal’s second-strongest division, thus not drawing the attention of national team coaches. However, his achievements include two victories in the Segunda for two different teams. In the 2020/2021 season, the Ghanaian was the top scorer for G.D. Estoril Praia with 14 goal contributions in 28 matches. The following season, Aziz scored 11 goals for Rio Ave F.C., not only helping the team gain promotion to the Primeira but also earning a full contract with the Portuguese club.
For the first half of the 2023/2024 season, Abdul-Aziz Yakubu played in China and participated in the AFC Champions League, scoring one goal and providing two assists. However, in the winter, the striker returned to Portugal and immediately secured a place in the starting lineup. In just a few months in the Primeira, the Ghanaian managed to score four times. If the Ghanaian footballer helps Rio Ave F.C. maintain its position in the elite division, there is a possibility that the club will extend his contract on more favorable terms.
