The following is a list of the most expensive American soccer transfers, which details the highest transfer fees ever paid for American players, as well as the largest transfer fees paid and received by American soccer clubs.
The current transfer record for an American player was set by the transfer of Christian Pulisic from Borussia Dortmund to Chelsea for $65 million in August 2019. The current record transfer fee paid by an American soccer club was set by the transfer of Son Heung-min from Tottenham Hotspur to Los Angeles Football Club for $26.5 million in August 2025. The current record transfer fee received by an American soccer club was set by the transfer of Miguel Almirón from Atlanta United to Newcastle United for $26 million in January 2019.
Highest transfer payments for American players +Rank Player From To Position Fee($) Year 1 (1) Borussia Dortmund ChelseaForward$65.0m20192Malik Tillman PSV Bayer LeverkusenMidfielder$46.0m20253Folarin Balogun Arsenal Monaco Forward$43.0m20234 Real Betis Atlético MadridMidfielder$34.8m20255 Red Bull Salzburg Leeds UnitedMidfielder$30.2m20226 (2) Leeds United BournemouthMidfielder$25.5m20237 (2) Chelsea AC MilanForward$24.2m20238 (1) RB Leipzig Leeds UnitedMidfielder$24.1m20229 Ajax BarcelonaDefender$23.1m202010 Schalke 04 JuventusMidfielder$22.5m202111Yunus Musah Valencia AC MilanMidfielder$20.0m202312 FC Dallas FC AugsburgForward$20.0m202213 Hertha BSC VfL WolfsburgDefender$19.4m201714 (2) AZ SunderlandForward$13.0m201315Matt Turner Arsenal Nottingham ForestGoalkeeper$12.7m202316 (2) Lille JuventusDefender$12.4m202317 (1) Paris Saint-Germain LilleDefender$11.4m201918 Roma Toronto FCMidfielder$10.4m201419 (1) New York Red Bulls VillarrealStriker$10.0m200820Gabriel Slonina Chicago Fire ChelseaGoalkeeper$10.0m2022
Historical progression Year Player From To Fee ($) 1990 USSF Figueres $250,000 1998 Columbus Crew Liverpool $2.1m 2001 Rangers Sunderland $5.9m 2008 New York Red Bulls Villarreal $10.0m 2013 AZ Sunderland $13.0m 2017John Brooks Hertha BSC VfL Wolfsburg$19.4m 2019 Borussia Dortmund Chelsea $65.0m
Transfer fees involving American soccer clubs Highest transfer payments paid by American soccer clubs + Rank Player From To Position Fee($) Year 1 Tottenham HotspurLos Angeles FCForward$26.5 m20252 MiddlesbroughAtlanta UnitedForward$22.0m20253 Cercle Brugge FC Cincinnati Forward $16.2m 2024 4 Vélez Sarsfield Atlanta United Midfielder$16.0m 2022 5 River Plate Atlanta United Midfielder $15.5m 2019 6 Independiente Atlanta United Midfielder $15.0m 2018 7 Brenner São Paulo FC Cincinnati Forward $13.0m 2021 AtalantaAtlanta UnitedForward$13.0m20249 Newcastle United Atlanta United Midfielder $12.5m 2025 10 GranadaAustin FCForward$12.3m202511 Monterrey Inter Miami CF Midfielder $12.0m 2020 Gent Chicago FireForward$12.0m2024 PSV EindhovenSan Diego FCForward$12.0m202514 Lille Atlanta United Midfielder $11.0m 2021 15 MonterreyAustin FCForward$10.0m202516 Guadalajara Sporting Kansas CityForward $9.5m 2020 17 Sevilla LA Galaxy Forward $9.4m 2020 18 Tottenham Hotspur Seattle Sounders Forward $9.0m 2013 19 Peñarol Los Angeles FC Forward $8.8m 2019 20 Vasco da Gama New York City FC Midfielder $8.2m 2021
Highest transfer payments received by American soccer clubs + Rank Player From To Position Fee($) Year 1 Atlanta United Newcastle United Midfielder $26.0m 2019 2 Atlanta United Botafogo Midfielder $22.0m 2024 3 FC Dallas FC Augsburg Forward $20.0m 2022 4 Chicago Fire Aston VillaMidfielder$18.7m20235 Atlanta United Al Nassr Midfielder $18.0m 2020 New England Revolution Chelsea Goalkeeper $18.0m 2023 7 Columbus Crew Real BetisForward$16.0m20258 Chicago Fire ChelseaGoalkeeper$15.0m20229 Inter Miami Brighton & Hove AlbionMidfielder$13.8m202510 Sporting Kansas City Venezia FCMidfielder$10.5m2021 11 New York Red Bulls Villarreal Forward $10.0m 2008 Los Angeles FC FenerbahçeForward$10.0m202213 Orlando City West Bromwich Albion Forward $9.5m 2022 14 Philadelphia Union RB SalzburgMidfielder$9.0m202015 Minnesota United Villarreal CFForward$8.5m202516 FC Cincinnati MonterreyForward$7.5m2024 Columbus Crew Manchester City Goalkeeper $7.5m 2019 18 FC Dallas Roma Defender $7.4m 2021 19 New England Revolution Club Brugge Midfielder $7.0m 2022 20 Philadelphia Union Genk Defender $6.0m2021 Historical progression YearPlayerSelling clubBuying clubFee ($)1990USSF Figueres1998Columbus Crew Liverpool2000San Jose Earthquakes Fulham2006New England Revolution Fulham2008New York Red Bulls Villarreal2019Atlanta United Newcastle United
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