The 10 most expensive American players of all time

Carlo Garganese

• Updated: 14 Nov 2024 14:01 GMT
• 5 min read

The United States of America are yet to take over the football world, but vast improvements have been made over the past decade.

They are yet to produce a truly world class player, but a host of USMNT stars are currently playing for huge clubs in Europe.

Below, FootballTransfers runs through the 10 most expensive American players of all time.

READ MORE: The 10 most expensive English players of all time

10. John Brooks - €17m (Hertha Berlin to Wolfsburg, 2017)

John Brooks is the 10th most expensive American soccer player of all time, thanks to his €17m transfer from Hertha Berlin to Wolfsburg in 2017.

The USMNT defender switched Bundesliga clubs following a 10-year association with Hertha, during which time he made 130 first-team appearances.

Brooks returned to Hertha in 2024, following spells at Wolfsburg, Benfica and Hoffenheim.

READ MORE: The 10 most expensive Brazilian players of all time

9. Tyler Adams - €17m (RB Leipzig to Leeds, 2022)

Tyler Adams joined the New York Red Bulls academy in 2012 and he progressed through the youth ranks before making his first-team debut in 2016.

He eventually played 74 times for the senior side and earned a move to Red Bull’s sister club RB Leipzig. After three-and-a-half years and 103 appearances in Germany, Adams joined Leeds in 2022.

8. Yunus Musah - €20m (Valencia to AC Milan, 2023)

Yunus Musah spent his academy days at Arsenal, however he chose to leave the Gunners in order to join Spanish giants Valencia in 2019 due to a better first-team pathway.

After breaking into the senior side in 2020, Musah went on to make 108 appearances for Valencia’s first-team before joining Milan for €20m in 2023.

7. Christian Pulisic - €20m (Chelsea to AC Milan, 2023)

Christian Pulisic spent five years at Chelsea, but injuries slowed his progress at Stamford Bridge and he left one season after the arrival of Clearlake Capital.

The American was part of a mass exodus in west London, with AC Milan picking him up for just €20m.

In total, Pulisic made 145 appearances for Chelsea, scoring 26 goals, while he was part of the team that won the 2021 Champions League final.

6. Sergino Dest - €21m (Ajax to Barcelona, 2020)

Sergino Dest enjoyed an eight-year association with Ajax until his move to Barcelona in 2020.

However, he only made 38 first-team appearances for the Eredivisie giants before joining Barcelona for €211. Dest never made the grade at Camp Nou, though, and he joined PSV Eindhoven on a free transfer in 2024.

Although eligible for the Netherlands, Dest chose to represent the USA at international level.

5. Weston McKennie - €21.9m (Schalke to Juventus, 2021)

Weston McKennie spent seven years in Dallas’ academy before joining Schalke at the age of 18 in 2016.

After a year in Schalke’s U19 side, he progressed into the senior team and made a total of 91 first-team appearances before joining Juventus on loan in 2020. The move became permanent for just shy of €22m the following year.

4. Tyler Adams - €26.9m (Leeds to Bournemouth, 2023)

One year after his move to Leeds, Adams left Elland Road following their relegation back to the Championship.

He joined Bournemouth for €26.9m in 2023, having made just 26 first-team appearances for Leeds.

Due to injury issues, the USMNT midfielder only played four times during his debut season at Bournemouth.

3. Folarin Balogun - €30m (Arsenal to Monaco, 2023)

Folarin Balogun joined Arsenal’s academy at the age of eight and he was a reliable goalscorer throughout his time in the Gunners’ youth set-up.

However, he only made 10 first-team appearances for the club and after excelling on loan at Stade Reims during the 2022-23 campaign, the forward joined Monaco on a permanent deal.

Despite being eligible for both England and Nigeria, Balogun declared for the USA national team ahead of his move to Monaco in 2023.

2. Brenden Aaronson - €32.8m (RB Salzburg to Leeds, 2022)

Leeds United boss Jesse Marsch pushed for a reunion with Brenden Aaronson in 2022, having spent a short time together at RB Salzburg, and the American ended up at Elland Road for €32.8m.

He scored just 13 goals in 66 games for the Austrian outfit, but Marsch was determined to add the USMNT star to his first-team squad in Yorkshire.

After a disappointing debut campaign, Aaronson spent the 2023-24 season on loan at Union Berlin following Leeds’ relegation.

1. Christian Pulisic - €64m (Borussia Dortmund to Chelsea, 2019)

Christian Pulisic is the most expensive American soccer player in the history of the sport.

The flying winger left Borussia Dortmund to join Chelsea in 2019, with the Blues winning the race for his signature amid serious competition from multiple top European clubs.

Pulisic left Dortmund with 127 first-team appearances for the club, while he notched 19 goals for the senior side.

The 10 most expensive United States soccer players of all time