US soccer star Christian Pulisic scores record $73M transfer deal

U.S. soccer phenom Christian Pulisic will join Chelsea of England’s top-tier Premier League in the richest transfer agreement ever for an American player.

Pulisic transferred to Chelsea from German club Borussia Dortmund in a deal valued at more than $73 million. The agreement is effective immediately, but the 20-year-old midfielder with remain on loan to Dortmund for the next several months before joining Chelsea on a full-time basis this summer.

“In summer I move on to Chelsea and to a new competition, the English Premier League,” Pulisic said in a statement. “It’s a privilege to have signed for such a legendary club and I look forward to working hard towards being a contributor to their team of world class players.”

A rising star, Pulisic is expected to be a long-term fixture on the U.S. men’s national team. His transfer fee easily surpassed the previous record for American players held by John Brooks, another U.S. men’s national team star who joined German club Wolfsburg for about $22 million in 2017, according to Sports Illustrated.

While Pulisic’s transfer is a record for U.S. players, it pales in comparison to the largest transfer deals in history. The current record belongs to Brazilian star Neymar, who transferred from Barcelona to French club Paris Saint-Germain in a deal valued at $263 million in August 2017.