List of most expensive American soccer transfers explained

The following is a list of most expensive American soccer transfers, which details the highest transfer fees ever paid for players, as well as transfers which set new American transfer records. The current transfer record was set by the transfer of Christian Pulisic from Borussia Dortmund to Chelsea for $65 million in August 2019.

Highest transfer payments for American players

Fees $4.0m or higher.

PlayerFromToFeeYear
Borussia Dortmund Chelsea$65.0m2019[1]
Folarin Balogun Arsenal$43.0m2023[2]
Red Bull Salzburg Leeds United$30.2m2022[3]
Leeds United Bournemouth$25.5m2023[4]
Chelsea AC Milan$24.2m2023[5]
RB Leipzig Leeds United$24.1m2022[6]
Ajax Barcelona$23.1m2020[7]
Schalke 04 Juventus$22.5m2021[8]
Yunus Musah Valencia CF AC Milan$20.0m2023[9]
FC Dallas Augsburg$20.0m2022[10]
Hertha BSC Wolfsburg$19.4m2017[11]
AZ Sunderland$13.0m2013[12]
Matt Turner Arsenal Nottingham Forest$12.7m2023[13]
Lille Juventus$12.4m2023[14]
Paris Saint-Germain Lille$11.4m2019[15]
Roma Toronto FC$10.4m2014
New York Red Bulls Villarreal$10.0m2008
Augsburg PSV$9.8m2023
Orlando City SC West Bromwich Albion$9.5m2022[16]
Werder Bremen Norwich City$9.5m2021[17]
Fulham Tottenham Hotspur$9.0m2012
$9.0m 2013
FC Cincinnati Monterrey$7.5m2024[18]
$7.5m 2019
FC Dallas Roma$7.4m2021
D.C. United Wolfsburg$7.0m2022
Tottenham Hotspur Newcastle United$6.7m2016
Sporting Kansas City Venezia$6.6m2021[19]
Philadelphia Union Red Bull Salzburg$6.5m2021
CF Montréal AZ$6.0m2023[20]
Toronto FC Rangers$5.9m2008
Rangers Sunderland$5.9m2001[21]
Manchester United Everton$5.7m2007
New York Red Bulls Chelsea$5.2m2016
AZ Werder Bremen$4.6m2015
Hamburg Hannover 96$4.5m2016
Wolverhampton Wanderers Brugge$4.4m2021[22]
Gent Anderlecht$4.3m2018
New York Red Bulls Bolton Wanderers$4.1m2012
FC Dallas Stoke City$4.1m2013[23]
AZ Colorado Rapids$4.0m2024[24]
FC Dallas Venezia$4.0m2021[25]
Schalke 04 Mallorca$3.9m2021[26]
Blackburn Rovers Aston Villa$3.9m2008
Kansas City Wizards Fulham$3.6m2008
Tijuana D.C. United$3.5m2017[27]
Barcelona Marseille$3.3m2021
Santos Laguna Tijuana$3.0m2013

Historical progression

YearPlayerFromTodata-sort-type="number" Fee ($)
1990 $248,000
1998 $2.1m
2001 $5.9m
2008 $10.0m
2013 $13.0m
2017John Brooks Hertha BSC Wolfsburg$19.4m
2019 $65.0m

Highest transfer payments received by American soccer clubs

PlayerFromToFeeYear
$26.0m 2019 [28]
$22.0m 2024 [29]
$20.0m 2022
ColombiaChicago Fire Aston Villa$18.7m2023[30]
Atlanta United FC $18.0m 2020
$12.5m2023
$10.0m 2008
$9.5m 2022
United StatesFC Cincinnati Monterrey$7.5m2024
$7.5m 2019
FC Dallas $7.4m 2021
$7.0m 2022
$6.5m 2021

Historical progression

YearPlayerSelling clubBuying clubdata-sort-type="number" Fee ($)
1990Miami Sharks Figueres
1998Columbus Crew Liverpool[31]
2000San Jose Earthquakes Fulham
2006New England Revolution Fulham[32]
2008New York Red Bulls Villarreal[33]
2019Atlanta United FC Newcastle United

Highest transfer payments paid by American soccer clubs

PlayerFromToFeeYear
$16.0m 2022 [34]
Atlanta United FC $15.5m 2019
Atlanta United FC $15.0m 2018
$13.0m 2021
$12.0m 2020
Atlanta United FC $11.0m 2021
$9.5m 2020
$9.4m 2020
$9.0m 2013
$8.8m 2019
$8.2m 2021
Atlanta United FC $8.0m 2016
$7.5m 2022

Notes and References

  1. Debono . Matt . Christian Pulisic: Borussia Dortmund to Chelsea Move Was 'Easy Transition' . . . May 7, 2022 . December 10, 2021.
  2. Web site: 2023-08-30 . 'A fabulous move' - Gregg Berhalter on Folarin Balogun's €40m Monaco transfer and how he plans to use him with the USMNT Goal.com . 2023-08-30 . www.goal.com . en.
  3. Web site: Creditor . SkySports . Leeds transfer news: Red Bull Salzburg midfielder Brenden Aaronson signs on a five-year deal . . . May 26, 2022 . May 26, 2022.
  4. Web site: Gastelum . Andrew . 2023-08-20 . USMNT Captain Tyler Adams Joins Premier League’s Bournemouth . 2024-01-19 . Sports Illustrated . en-us.
  5. Web site: Twomey . James Horncastle and Liam . USMNT's Pulisic completes transfer to AC Milan from Chelsea . 2023-07-13 . The Athletic . en.
  6. Web site: Tyler Adams: Leeds sign RB Leipzig and USA international . . July 10, 2022.
  7. Creditor . Avi . Barcelona Signs U.S. Defender Sergiño Dest From Ajax . . . May 8, 2022 . October 1, 2020.
  8. Web site: Zucker . Joseph . Weston McKennie Signed by Juventus on Permanent Transfer After Option Exercised . . Turner Sports Digital . May 7, 2022 . March 3, 2021.
  9. Web site: 4 August 2023 . Official: Musah joins Milan from Valencia . Football Italia.
  10. Web site: Prince-Wright . Joe . USMNT's Ricardo Pepi completes $20 million transfer to Augsburg; is this a good fit? . . May 8, 2022 . January 3, 2022.
  11. Web site: Usry . Rob . 2017-05-30 . Official: John Brooks transfers to Wolfsburg . 2022-05-09 . Stars and Stripes FC . en.
  12. Web site: Prince-Wright . Joe . July 9, 2013 . Official: Jozy Altidore signs for EPL side Sunderland in $13 million deal . May 9, 2022 . ProSoccerTalk NBC Sports . en-US.
  13. Web site: August 9, 2023 . USA goalkeeper Matt Turner joins Nottingham Forest from Arsenal . August 9, 2023 . www.theguardian.com.
  14. Web site: USMNT transfer tracker: Weah to Juventus, Pepi commits to PSV . . July 1, 2023 . July 1, 2023.
  15. Web site: 2020-04-10 . USMNT: Top 10 most expensive transfers of all-time . 2022-05-09 . MLS Multiplex . en-US.
  16. Web site: Madeley . Steve . West Brom confirm permanent signing of striker Daryl Dike from Orlando City . . . May 8, 2022 . January 1, 2022.
  17. Web site: The 42 Most Expensive Transfer Fees Ever Paid For American Soccer Players . 2022-05-10 . The18.
  18. Web site: Brennan . Pat . January 3, 2024 . FC Cincinnati finalizing Brandon Vazquez transfer to Mexico's CF Monterrey . January 19, 2024 . Cincinnati Enquirer.
  19. Web site: City . Sporting Kansas . Peter Vermes on why Gianluca Busio's transfer to Venezia made sense now . 2022-05-10 . Sporting Kansas City . en.
  20. Web site: Bogert . Tom . Official: CF Montréal star Djordje Mihailovic moving to AZ Alkmaar in January . MLSSoccer.com . August 24, 2022 . August 24, 2022.
  21. Web site: Reyna completes £4m Sunderland move . . May 7, 2022 . December 7, 2001.
  22. Web site: 2021-12-21 . Owen Otasowie still yet to make Club Brugge debut after leaving Wolves . 2022-05-10 . Molineux News . en-GB.
  23. Web site: American winger Brek Shea completes move to Stoke . 2022-05-10 . RSN . en.
  24. Web site: American forward Djordje Mihailovic joins MLS's Colorado Rapids . 2024-01-23 . FOX Sports . en-US.
  25. Web site: Epperley . Drew . 2021-07-15 . FC Dallas transfers Tanner Tessmann to Italian side Venezia FC . 2022-05-10 . Big D Soccer . en.
  26. Web site: 2021-08-31 . USMNT's Hoppe joins Mallorca from Schalke . 2022-05-10 . ESPN.com . en.
  27. News: Goff . Steven . D.C. United signs Paul Arriola in most expensive deal in club history . . May 7, 2022 . August 9, 2017.
  28. Web site: Bogert . Tom . Top 10 most expensive outbound transfers in MLS history . MLSSoccer.com . May 8, 2022 . January 3, 2022.
  29. Web site: 6 July 2024 . ALMADA CHEGOU . 6 July 2024 . Botafogo de Futebol e Regatas . pt-BR . 6 July 2024 . https://web.archive.org/web/20240706184836/https://www.botafogo.com.br/noticias/almada-chegou . live .
  30. News: 23 January 2023 . Villa sign Chicago striker Duran in £18m deal . 2023-01-24 . BBC Sport . en-GB.
  31. News: December 20, 1997 . Friedel Is Cleared To Join Liverpool . April 30, 2012 . New York Times.
  32. News: Dell'Apa . Frank . January 7, 2007 . Dempsey could set the tone for future MLS transfers . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20121021142109/http://soccernet.espn.go.com/columns/story?id=398831&root=mls&cc=5901 . October 21, 2012 . February 12, 2018 . ESPN Soccernet . ESPN.
  33. Web site: Bogert . Tom . January 3, 2022 . Top 10 most expensive outbound transfers in MLS history . May 8, 2022 . MLSSoccer.com.
  34. Web site: Bogert . Tom . Top 12 most expensive incoming transfers in MLS history . MLSsoccer.com . May 9, 2022 . February 11, 2022.

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