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Sports Illustrated

Sport

Ewan Ross-Murray

The Most Expensive American Players in Soccer History—Ranked

Christian Pulisic USMNT Tyler Adams Sergiño Dest Yunus Musah Malik Tillman Soccer Weston McKennie America Folarin Balogun

America’s production line of soccer talent is improving year on year.

While the men’s game lags behind the women’s in terms of bona fide American superstars, USMNT representatives have become a growing influence across the world—and, most importantly, in major European competitions.

Success stories are much more frequent than during past eras and with the ascent of American soccer players comes the major transfer fees for which the modern game is renowned.

With that in mind, here are the 10 most expensive American players in soccer history.

10. Yunus Musah

Transfer: Valencia to Milan
Fee: $22.1 million

Yunus Musah’s talent was evident from a young age. The midfielder was snapped up by Arsenal’s academy at age nine and then moved on to Valencia at 16, eventually announcing himself in Spanish football as he rose through the ranks with Los Che.

Quickly earning renown for his ball-carrying ability and defensive tenacity, Musah’s increasingly impressive performances with Valencia caught the eye of Europe’s elite, Milan the side to swoop for the USMNT star in 2023.

A sizable fee was splashed, and Musah quickly challenged himself to succeed at San Siro by adopting the fabled No. 80 jersey worn by legendary Brazilian Ronaldinho. However, things are yet to truly work out in Italy for Musah, who is currently struggling on loan at Atalanta.

9. Weston McKennie

Transfer: Schalke to Juventus
Fee: $22.5 million

German football has often been a nursery for America’s most exciting talents, and Weston McKennie prospered from regular minutes in the Bundesliga with Schalke early in his career. Three full campaigns with the club helped the midfielder hone his craft and earn a blockbuster move to Juventus.

Things have not always been plain sailing in Turin, though. Despite an encouraging debut season with the Old Lady, McKennie fell down the pecking order thereafter, eventually forced to make the loan move to Leeds United in search of regular game time.

An underwhelming spell in England appeared set to have ramifications upon his return to Italy, but Juventus’ difficulties in recent seasons have offered McKennie the opportunity to impress under less pressure. He’s now become a significant and versatile member of their squad.

8. Sergiño Dest

Transfer: Ajax to Barcelona
Fee: $23.1 million

There was a tussle between the USMNT and the Netherlands for Sergiño Dest’s international representation, but the Dutch-born right back ultimately committed himself to the Stars and Stripes. Given the immense promise shown early in his career at Ajax, that was considered quite the coup.

The USMNT were not the only side to notice Dest’s status as an up-and-comer in Amsterdam, with Barcelona also wowed by his eye-catching displays during a debut senior term with Ajax. They took the plunge, splashing approximately $23 million on the defender.

While Dest hardly set the Camp Nou alight, he did become the first American to appear for Barça in La Liga and the Champions League. A return to the Netherlands with PSV Eindhoven has allowed Dest to reinvigorate his career.

7. Tyler Adams

Tyler Adams during his time as a Leeds player — Tyler Adams has been a Premier League mainstay since first arriving. | Robbie Jay Barratt/AMA/Getty Images

Transfer: RB Leipzig to Leeds United
Fee: $24.1 million

Tyler Adams is one of the many success stories of the Red Bull project. Initially ranking up with New York Red Bulls, a switch to the Bundesliga with RB Leipzig followed, and it proved the perfect step for the midfielder’s speedy development.

Adams took two seasons to find his feet in Germany, but his promotion to first-team regular at the beginning of the 2020–21 campaign quickly garnered attention from abroad. Leeds United’s American ties meant the move to Elland Road was a no-brainer, even if it cost the Premier League side $24 million.

Leeds’ demotion facilitated a move across England to Bournemouth (we’ll come to that) as Adams’s stock continued to rise.

6. Christian Pulisic

Transfer: Chelsea to Milan
Fee: $24.2 million

The star boy of American soccer, Christian Pulisic makes the top 10 list not just once, but twice. Having made a staggering Chelsea transfer in 2019, the winger’s subsequent switch to Milan was less pricey, but it has allowed the phenom to rediscover his mojo.

Milan took a punt on the out-of-form forward at the beginning of the 2023–24 season, and they were swiftly rewarded. 26 goal contributions in his opening term was followed by another 27 the following season as Pulisic restored his reputation as one of the most tantalizing wide men around.

San Siro has re-energized American soccer’s talisman.

5. Tyler Adams

Transfer: Leeds United to Bournemouth
Fee: $25.5 million

Here Adams is again. Despite Leeds being relegated in the midfielder’s first and only season in Yorkshire, his steady performances in the engine room were rewarded with a stay in the Premier League, Bournemouth splashing nearly $26 million on his services.

Injury struck Adams down during his debut campaign on England’s south coast, during which he made just four appearances, but a return to health allowed him to establish himself as the linchpin of Bournemouth’s midfield under Andoni Iraola.

The combative enforcer has become increasingly crucial to the success of the Cherries, even if injuries never appear too far from view.

4. Brenden Aaronson

Transfer: RB Salzburg to Leeds United
Fee: $30.2 million

The Red Bull machine fostered another American starlet in Brenden Aaronson. After impressing with Philadelphia Union at a tender age, RB Salzburg snapped up the versatile attacking midfielder, and he hit the ground running in Austria with 12 goal involvements in his first half-season.

A similarly explosive second season with Salzburg followed, and that convinced Leeds of his worth—even before their Red Bull investment. Aaronson couldn’t be faulted for his incredible work ethic, but a testing debut season with the Whites, which ended in relegation, resulted in a loan move to Union Berlin the following term.

Aaronson then returned to Leeds in 2024–25 and helped them escape the Championship once more, playing in every single league game en route to promotion. He’s become an important contributor in the Premier League, too.

3. Folarin Balogun

Transfer: Arsenal to Monaco
Fee: $43 million

Despite being born in New York, Folarin Balogun was raised in London and the striker’s talents earned him a place in Arsenal’s academy. While he represented England’s youth teams on the international stage, he opted to play for the USMNT once reaching senior level.

The bulk of his football was played away from Arsenal during his employment for the club, loan spells with Middlesbrough and Reims allowing the youngster to prosper. A 22-goal season with the latter allowed the Gunners to command a sizeable $43 million fee, which Monaco were willing to pay.

Two tame seasons with the Ligue 1 side have been followed by a terrific 2025–26 campaign, Balogun coming alive both domestically and during Monaco’s Champions League campaign. The future is even brighter for the talented forward.

2. Malik Tillman

Transfer: PSV Eindhoven to Bayer Leverkusen
Fee: $46 million

Another who opted to play for the USMNT despite having the opportunity to represent another nation—in this instance, Germany—Americans are mightily relieved he chose the Stars and Stripes. Now plying his trade for Bayer Leverkusen, Malik Tillman is operating at an incredibly high level.

After failing to make the cut as a Bayern Munich youth player, even after an encouraging loan spell with Scottish side Rangers, Tillman accepted his fate and made the move to PSV Eindhoven. It turned out to be a wise decision.

21 goal contributions in both of his two seasons in Eindhoven naturally had Europe’s leading performers purring, Tillman eyed as someone capable of filling Florian Wirtz’s sizeable shoes in Leverkusen. He’s enjoyed a largely impressive debut season with the 2023–24 Bundesliga champs, although greater consistency is required moving forward.