Liverpool and FSG splashed the cash in 2025, forking out more than £400m in the club’s biggest summer spending spree of all time. Alexander Isak rounded off the Reds’ dramatic window, costing a British record fee from Newcastle United.

But who else is on Liverpool’s most expensive signings list? Here’s the top 20 with a detailed look at the top 10.

Rank

Player

Fee

Signed from

Year

1

Alexander Isak

£125m

Newcastle

2025

2

Florian Wirtz

£116m

Bayer Leverkusen

2025

3

Virgil van Dijk

£75m

Southampton

2018

4

Hugo Ekitike

£69m

Frankfurt

2025

5

Alisson

£67m

Roma

2018

6

Darwin Nunez

£64m

Benfica

2022

7

Dominik Szoboszlai

£60m

RB Leipzig

2023

8

Naby Keita

£48m

RB Leipzig

2018

9

Fabinho

£44m

Monaco

2018

10

Diogo Jota

£41m

Wolves

2020

=11

Cody Gakpo

£40m

PSV

2023

=11

Milos Kerkez

£40m

Bournemouth

2025

13

Luis Diaz

£38m

FC Porto

2022

=14

Andy Carroll

£35m

Newcastle

2011

=14

Alexis Mac Allister

£35m

Brighton

2023

=14

Ibrahima Konate

£35m

RB Leipzig

2021

=14

Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain

£35m

Arsenal

2017

=18

Mohamed Salah

£34m

Roma

2017

=18

Sadio Mane

£34m

Southampton

2016

=18

Ryan Gravenberch

£34m

Bayern Munich

2023

Here's a detailed look at Liverpool's 10 most expensive signings: 10 Diogo Jota £41m from Wolves

Liverpool made sure to capitalise on the additional time before the beginning of the 2020/21 season, which had been delayed due to the pandemic, by signing Diogo Jota on a five-year contract from Wolves.

Jota would go on to become a fan favourite at Anfield but tragically passed away in 2025 at the age of 28 after a road traffic accident. He will always be known as Liverpool’s number 20.

9 Fabinho £44m from Monaco

Fabinho credited the exceptional infrastructure in place at Liverpool upon his arrival at the club in May 2018, but it was he who ended up being the much-needed spine for his side.

Having made over 150 appearances at his previous side Monaco, the Brazilian midfielder was sought-after due to his ability to play anywhere in the middle of the park.

With Emre Can on his way out as a free agent to sign for Juventus, Fabinho was deemed as the perfect replacement for Klopp’s side.

Liverpool career

2018-2023

Appearances

219

Goals

11

Assists

9

Liverpool honours

Champions League (2019), Premier League (2020), FA Cup (2022), League Cup (2022), Super Cup (2019)

8 Naby Keita £48m from RB Leipzig

Naby Keita surpassed Andy Carroll’s 2011 £35m record when Liverpool agreed to trigger the midfielder’s release clause with RB Leipzig in August 2017, securing his move to the club for the following season.

It was mostly a tale of two stories for Keita at Liverpool. The first began with promise, potential and hope; the second ended with injury, inconsistency and, eventually, his inevitable release.

Liverpool career

2018-2023

Appearances

129

Goals

11

Assists

7

Liverpool honours

Champions League (2019), Premier League (2020), FA Cup (2022), League Cup (2022), Super Cup (2019), Club World Cup (2019)

7 Dominik Szoboszlai £60m from RB Leipzig

When it was announced that James Milner, Keita and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain would all be leaving the club, Klopp knew he would need to splash the cash on a brand-new midfield in the summer of 2023.

Soon after completing the signing of Alexis Mac Allister from Brighton for £35m, Liverpool told RB Leipzig they would be triggering the £60m release clause for Dominik Szoboszlai.

The Hungary captain had won the DFB-Pokal with Leipzig and secured a strong third-place finish in the Bundesliga, but it was his impressive performances on the international stage as Hungary’s captain that caught Liverpool’s eye.

6 Darwin Nunez £64m from Benfica

Darwin Nunez signed for an initial £64m from Benfica in 2022 and started so well with the Reds, when his goal secured Liverpool the Community Shield against Manchester City.

However, things never really clicked into gear for the Uruguayan at Anfield, and he was sold to Saudi Pro League club Al Hilal in 2025.

5 Alisson £67m from Roma

Alisson became the world’s most expensive goalkeeper in the summer of 2018 when he signed for Liverpool from Roma on a six-year contract.

The deal surpassed Man City’s £35m signing of Ederson in 2017 and turned out to be a pivotal turning point during Klopp’s tenure at the club, having previously lost out on major trophies due to goalkeeping errors.

Although officials at the Merseyside club didn’t reveal the actual fee, his former club, Roma, said the deal was worth up to £67m.

Records are meant to be broken, however, and this one didn’t last long, as Chelsea signed Kepa Arrizabalaga from Athletic Bilbao for £71m just weeks later.

4 Hugo Ekitike £69m from Frankfurt

Hugo Ekitike was one of two star strikers to sign for Liverpool in 2025, with the Reds paying Frankfurt an initial £69m for the forward as they repalced Nunez.

Like Nunez, the Frenchman made an instant impression by scoring on his debut in the Community Shield, whereas Ekitike also netted the first goal of the 2025/26 Premier League season.

3 Virgil van Dijk £75m from Southampton

Liverpool’s most expensive defensive signing of all time has arguably been their most important addition in the last decade. Now captain of the Reds, Van Dijk has won multiple Premier League titles and the Champions League at Anfield, establishing himself as a Liverpool legend.

The announcement that Van Dijk would join Liverpool at the turn of the new year in 2018 was a world-record deal for a defender at the time – a fee only since surpassed by Harry Maguire’s transfer to Man United (£80m) in 2019 and Josko Gvardiol’s to Man City (£77m) in 2023 – and has proven to be worth every penny.

2 Florian Wirtz £116m from Bayer Leverkusen

Florian Wirtz was Liverpool’s record signing for just a matter of months in the summer of 2025 after he sealed a huge £116m move from Bayer Leverkusen.

The Germany international seemed to snub joining Bayern Munich in favour of heading to Merseyside with the Reds and signed a five-year deal at Anfield.

1 Alexander Isak £125m from Newcastle

Alexander Isak is Liverpool’s and Britain’s record transfer, with the Reds finally sealing a deal on deadline day in 2025.

The Sweden international went on strike for weeks at Newcastle before finally getting his wish with a move to Anfield. Isak signed a six-year contract and set the Reds back a whopping £125m.

Liverpool are set to have an intense end to the 2025 summer transfer window. The Reds have already had a busy few months, signing the likes of Florian Wirtz, Hugo Ekitike and Jeremie Frimpong to strengthen Arne Slot’s title-winning side. Yet, there may still be incomings.

Alexander Isak remains the top target, of course, although long-standing interest remains in Marc Guehi. The Crystal Palace captain continues to be linked with the Merseysiders, with a £35m deal reportedly what it would take to prise him away from Selhurst Park. The England international is out of contract at the end of the season.

If a deal for Guehi does not materialise for the Reds, they could pursue an alternative target at centre-back.

Liverpool considering Guehi alternative

It seems clear with ten days or so left in the transfer window that Liverpool are ready to spend again. If they do indeed sign a new centre-back, then Guehi seems to be the ideal choice for Slot. However, it is not a guarantee at this stage.

Transfer Focus

Mega money deals, controversial moves and big-name flops. This is the home of transfer news and opinion across Football FanCast.

If a deal for the Palace star does not come off, then the Reds could turn their attention to Brentford and Ireland international Nathan Collins. Caught Offside report that he is ‘one of the names’ on the list at Anfield this summer if they fail to land Guehi.

This will not be an easy deal to do. Firstly, having already lost Bryan Mbeumo, Christian Norgaard and potentially Yoane Wissa, Brentford are ‘eager not to lose more key players’ before the window slams shut.

On top of that, Liverpool will face competition from Manchester United, although Slot’s side are said to be in a ‘stronger position financially’, while Tottenham Hotspur are the frontrunners. A fee is not yet clear, but surely the Bees would want to make a profit on the £23m they spent on Collins in 2023.

Why Collins would be a good signing

There is no doubt that signing Collins would be a smart move for the Reds. He is a Premier League-proven defender who comes with a great reputation and is already up to speed with the pace of the English top flight.

The 24-year-old, who was named Brentford captain at the start of the season, has played 78 times for the Londoners so far. In that time, he’s played 90 minutes in all but six of those appearances.

The former Wolves star, who has also played for Burnley, is a goal threat in the penalty box, too. He’s bagged four goals for the club and assisted six, which included an impressive five assists last term in the Premier League.

This is certainly a deal that could see Liverpool sign their second coming of Virgil van Dijk. The legendary Dutchman also joined from a Premier League side, signing from Southampton back in 2017 for £75m.

The rest, as they say, is history. Now Liverpool skipper, Van Dijk has featured 321 times for the Reds, helping his side to lift two Premier League titles and the Champions League.

Back in 2023, former Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp called him “the best defender in the world”.

There are certainly similarities between Van Dijk and Collins. Not only would they have both come from fellow Premier League clubs, but the Ireland star could be described as “dominant”, just as football talent scout Jacek Kulig did. You could certainly use the same word to describe Van Dijk after the years of success he’s enjoyed at the top.

Statistically, the pair are similar, too. For example, Collins averaged 3.34 progressive passes and 4.26 ball recoveries per 90 minutes last season. In comparison, Van Dijk chalked up 5.35 progressive passes and 3.11 ball recoveries each game.

Progressive passes

3.34

5.35

Clearances

5.95

5.14

Tackles and interceptions

1.95

2.54

Ball recoveries

4.26

3.11

Aerial duels won

3.08

3.22

Progressive carries

0.84

0.59

Although there is no definitive fee, a move for Collins could be extremely smart for the Reds. There are certainly shades of Van Dijk in the deal and in his game, with the dominance shown off the ball and the quality they have in possession. The pair are also towering figures at 6 foot 4 and 6 foot 5, respectively, while also captaining their current sides.

Liverpool fans would love for him to become the second coming of their club legend.

If they miss out on Guehi, signing Collins instead this summer might be the perfect move to help Slot’s Liverpool side continue their dominance.

He can usurp Gakpo: FSG ready late bid to sign £43m winger for Liverpool

Liverpool still hope to sign a left-sided forward before the end of the transfer window.

ByAngus Sinclair Aug 19, 2025

Manchester United are now preparing a £50m+ bid for an “unbelievable” star, who is keen on a move to Old Trafford, and they are frontrunners in the race for his signature.

Man Utd's midfield called into question by Scholes

After a very disappointing start to the new campaign, Man United legend Paul Scholes has questioned the decision to deploy Bruno Fernandes in an unfavoured position, saying: “There’s too much indecision in the midfield area, you think of Casemiro. He’s been a brilliant player, but we know his deficiencies, don’t we?”

“Fernandes [and Casemiro], they’re the two he’s [Amorim] going with, and Fernandes for me, he’s someone who fills in as a midfielder, he might get away with it for one, two or three games. He’s not got the discipline to be a central midfield player.”

Given that Fernandes has been one of United’s best players for quite some time, chipping in with 19 Premier League goal contributions last season, there is a feeling the 30-year-old is being shoehorned into the starting XI.

However, despite scraping a 3-2 victory against Burnley, Ruben Amorim’s play-style clearly isn’t working, meaning the 40-year-old may need to bring in a central midfielder who is better suited to his system in January.

According to a report from TEAMtalk, Man United are now preparing a £50m+ bid for Crystal Palace’s Adam Wharton, who is eager to embark on a new challenge at an elite club, meaning he is keen on a move to Old Trafford.

United have identified Wharton as a key target for the January transfer window, having also expressed interest in the summer, but Oliver Glasner blocked an exit, given that Eberechi Eze and Marc Guehi were also attracting widespread interest.

Man Utd agree personal terms with 109 career-goal striker wanted by Wilcox

The Red Devils are making progress in their pursuit of a new centre-forward.

ByDominic Lund Sep 3, 2025

The 21-year-old has been identified as a long-term replacement for Casemiro, but there could be competition for his signature, with Chelsea said to be frontrunners alongside the Red Devils.

"Unbelievable" Wharton could be ideal signing for Amorim

Man United need to bring in a midfielder suited to Amorim’s style of play, and the Palace star fits the bill in that regard, having flourished under Glasner’s 3-4-2-1 system.

Guehi has been left particularly impressed by his teammate’s ability in possession, claiming the Englishman is “unbelievable” on the ball last season, but that is far from his only strength, as detailed by former WhoScored contributor Ben McAleer.

The fact Wharton is strong at winning back possession means he could be a solid long-term heir to Casemiro, but the Brazilian may still have plenty left to give, given the level of some of his performances over the past year.

Statistic

Average per 90

Tackles

4.14 (99th percentile)

Clearances

2.77 (94th percentile)

Blocks

2.37 (99th percentile)

Aerials won

2.18 (94th percentile)

It is understood that Mayank is recovering from a lumbar stress injury and has just resumed bowling at the BCCI’s Centre of Excellence in Bengaluru

Nagraj Gollapudi10-Mar-2025

Mayank Yadav played only four matches in IPL 2024•BCCI

Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) fast bowler Mayank Yadav is set to miss the first half of IPL 2025. ESPNcricinfo has learned that Mayank is recovering from a lumbar stress injury and has just resumed bowling at the BCCI’s Centre of Excellence in Bengaluru, where he has been undergoing rehab after getting injured following his India debut in the T20I series against Bangladesh last October.There is no firm date set by the BCCI for Mayank’s return yet, but if he meets all the fitness parameters alongside increasing his bowling workload, he could feature in the latter half of the IPL.Mayank’s unavailability in the first half of the tournament is a setback for LSG, who had retained him for INR 11 crore ($1.31 million approx.) ahead of the mega auction. It was an astronomical leap monetarily for Mayank who had been bought for INR 20 lakh ahead of the 2024 season as an uncapped fast bowler.Mayank commanded such a huge salary primarily because of his ability to bowl at breakneck speeds, crossing 150kph-plus consistently, which earned him back-to-back Player-of-the-Match awards in his first two matches in the IPL. Encouraged by his potential talent, the national selectors added Mayank to the pool of quicks given fast-bowling contracts.Related

Zaheer wants to get Mayank Yadav to a place where he can 'play longer without breaks'

Eden Gardens to host IPL 2025 final on May 25

Harry Brook pulls out of IPL for second year running

Mayank’s time in IPL 2024 was limited to just four matches due to a lingering side strain in the last two matches he played. During rehab, Mayank picked a separate injury which delayed his comeback but he eventually played the Bangladesh T20Is. However, he picked up another injury immediately after which forced him to return to rehab. While the BCCI has not officially shared details on Mayank’s injury, it is understood that Mayank has a stress-related injury in his lower back on the left-hand side.In February, former India fast bowler Zaheer Khan, who has taken over as LSG’s team director, said that the franchise was working closely with the BCCI’s medical team to chart a roadmap for Mayank’s return. However, Zaheer stressed he would only want a totally fit Mayank back in the saddle. “As much as we are keen on having him [play IPL 2025], we want him 150% fit not just 100% fit so we’ll do everything possible to get him there,” he had said.LSG are set to play their first match of the season against Delhi Capitals on March 24 in Visakhapatnam, under new captain Rishabh Pant.

Hugo Ekitike has been slammed for his "dumb" red card in Liverpool's 2-1 Carabao Cup win over Southampton. The France striker, who was already on a yellow card, came off the bench to score a late winner for the Reds but picked up a second booking for taking his shirt off in celebration. Now, the ex-Eintracht Frankfurt man has been torn apart on social media.

Ekitike forgets he's on yellow card when removing shirt

Liverpool looked to be heading to a 1-0 win after summer signing Alexander Isak's opener but Shea Charles equalised 14 minutes from time for the Championship side. Ekitike, who is competing with the Swede to be Liverpool's starting striker, tapped home five minutes from time before being dismissed for a second yellow. Now, some football fans believe that Isak is "in his head" after his "stupid" act, even though he sealed the 2-1 victory.

AdvertisementSocial media tears into Ekitike

@OneMotolani wrote on X: "Is Ekitike dumb, man? Two dumb yellow cards. Slot will make him pay for that. I think Isak is in this kid’s head. Isak scoring messed with his head. Can’t tell me nothing. Too fired up when he came on too."

@lfcjusto tweeted: "Hugo Ekitike picked aura ig pics over playing against Crystal Palace. I love him."

@Gbemiga__A commented: "That Isak goal rattled Ekitike's brain," and @unrulyking000 added, "Ekitike. dumbest red card I’ve seen. He clearly has a low IQ. So stupid."

@jordyinit put: "Ekitike saw Isak score his first, came on, scored, and held his shirt up to remind Anfield. Class. Dumb red though."

Finally, @_lfcleanne stated: "Absolutely shambolic from Hugo Ekitike. An already hard away game just got a lot tougher without him. Needless and so very stupid."

Getty Images SportHow long is Ekitike banned for?

Isak was signed for a British record £125 million ($169m) earlier this month, something that puts extra pressure on £79m ($107m) summer recruit Ekitike to deliver. The 23-year-old has had an excellent start to life at Anfield, scoring five goals in eight games. But, after his sending off, he will serve a one-match ban, giving Isak – who opened his Liverpool scoring account – a chance to usurp him from the starting XI going forward.

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Premier League test comes next for Liverpool

The forward will now sit out Liverpool's trip to unbeaten Crystal Palace, who bested them in the Community Shield final last month, in the Premier League on Saturday. Incidentally, Ekitike's celebration, and subsequent dismissal, could be a costly move in the long run.

Dale Steyn backed Afghanistan to win an ICC tournament within the next decade. To do so, he suggested that they inject patience into their individual and collective games.Afghanistan beat England in a thriller in Lahore but couldn’t make the knockouts of the Champions Trophy 2025. They lost their first match to South Africa and looked in trouble against Australia as well before rain intervened.”Back in the day, a lot of players would go play county cricket,” Steyn said, “Or they would go play first-class cricket to improve their skills and improve their patience really. I think we live in a time now where people are not patient enough. We can hardly watch two seconds on an Instagram story and it just feels like the Afghanistan players are similar when they’re playing their cricket.”They want things to happen so quickly. This ball must be a wicket, there’s no patience to building up and taking a wicket. And sometimes, the batters are the same, they’re batting in the first over. There’s so much movement happening in the crease, so they’re trying to hit a six and they’re trying to get the game going.Related

• Five-year agreement makes Abu Dhabi Afghanistan cricket's 'second home'

• Omarzai emerges as 'the perfect utility allrounder for Afghanistan'

• Jonathan Trott: 'Afghanistan will never be taken lightly again'

• Ibrahim Zadran goes from staid to spectacular to finish England off

• Australia seal semi-finals spot after rain spoils Head's party

“I think a lot of them play T20 cricket around the world, which is great, it’s great for their pockets and it’s great for them to learn. But, maybe, spending some time in four-day games might help, because one-day cricket is essentially a shortened version of a Test match. It’s got its moments where T20 is applied. But patience is one of the biggest things that Afghanistan players need to learn, and once they get that down, honestly, in the next decade, they could win ICC tournaments, for sure.”5:03

How can Afghanistan build on their progress?

Wasim Jaffer, who also praised Afghanistan’s rapid rise at the international level, identified their inability to hit the ground running in tournaments and fragility in their batting line-up as issues they need to look into going forward.Ibrahim Zadran made a match-winning 177 against England but Sediqullah Atal couldn’t convert his 85 against Australia into a big score. Their top-three have not set up a game collectively and Rahmanullah Gurbaz, arguably their best batter, finished with 16 runs in three games.”Afghanistan are on the rise,” Jaffer said “And you’ve got to applaud them because they’ve played semi-finals [at the 2024 T20 World Cup], they’ve beaten good teams and, when they beat anybody it’s not an upset anymore. So, you can expect Afghanistan to put on a show.””They will be disappointed [with] the way they started the first game. In such a short tournament, it’s important to start really well because you don’t get too many chances. One loss and you could be out of the tournament, which happened here.”Their batting needs to improve as well. We say that they are not a big chasing team. Their [Nos.] 3, 4, 5, even though Atal played well today, Rahmat Shah needs to be more consistent. He got a 90 in the first game, [Hashmatullah] Shahidi got stuck today, Gurbaz is their main player, he had a very off tournament. That’s where I think they lacked this time.”

Opener gives squad a boost after tough tour of India, as England build towards Australia opener

ESPNcricinfo staff15-Feb-20252:28

Buttler: ‘We’ve done plenty of training throughout the tour’

England’s Champions Trophy prospects have received a boost after Ben Duckett was given the all-clear, following a left groin injury sustained during last week’s ODI series against India.Duckett’s form at the top of the order had been one of the positives for England in an otherwise disappointing campaign. He made two half-centuries across the T20I and ODI series, in which England won just one of the eight matches, but contributed regular strong starts in the powerplay, alongside Phil Salt, which whom he made three consecutive fifty stands.However, Duckett appeared to tweak his groin while fielding in the latter stages of India’s innings in the final ODI at Ahmedabad on Wednesday, and was visibly hampered while making a boundary-laden 34 in England’s subsequent innings.However, with England having decamped to the UAE ahead of their Champions Trophy campaign, scans on Duckett’s groin have revealed no significant issue, and an ECB press release declared him “fit and available” for England’s tournament opener against Australia in Lahore on February 22.England are due to arrive in Pakistan on February 18, and the news is a welcome boost given the squad’s other injury concerns. They have already lost Jacob Bethell to a hamstring injury, with Somerset’s Tom Banton drafted into the squad as a replacement, while Jamie Smith has not featured since the third ODI on January 28 due to a calf injury.Ben Duckett was in form during the India tour without converting his starts•Getty ImagesThere are concerns among the fast-bowling contingent too, with Brydon Carse managing a toe injury and Jamie Overton affected by a hamstring issue. Jofra Archer is also nursing a cut hand.The squad has had to ride out criticism of their training methods, too, with Kevin Pietersen particularly outspoken about their lack of net practice during the ODI series.Renewing his attack on X on Thursday, Pietersen said that injuries are part and parcel of sport, adding that that was not what was stopping “batters from batting against net bowlers and learning the art of playing spin”.However, Brendon McCullum, England’s head coach, rejected the “factually incorrect” take on England’s preparations, and insisted that his team was on track to compete strongly at the Champions Trophy.”Guys have come from a lot of cricket and keeping guys fresh is just as important, especially when you have injuries,” he said. “We’ve done lots of training. We have had injuries in the camp so we’ve backed guys off a little bit to make sure we had a fit team.”

Former U.S. international Alexi Lalas hailed Christian Pulisic after the Milan star’s match-winning brace against Udinese. The USMNT captain struck twice and played a role in a third as the Rossoneri cruised to a 3-0 away win, strengthening their early Serie A title push. The praise follows a summer in which the two publicly clashed over Pulisic’s Gold Cup absence.

• Getty Images Sport
  

  'Arguably the best player for AC Milan'

  The former USMNT defender stated that Pulisic is currently an elite player in Serie A and Milan's best player, highlighting the American's importance to the Rossoneri's tactical setup.

  "I think you are looking at it certainly right now, and if you need any more proof, this game is it, that he is an elite player in Serie A. He is, I think arguably the best player for AC Milan," Lalas said on his State of the Union podcast. 

  Lalas expressed particular admiration for the comprehensive nature of Pulisic's contribution in the win. 

  “This was a phenomenal game,” Lalas explained. “I think something that he will remember and Pulisic fans, fans of the US national team and AC Milan fans can appreciate, and I think we'll remember for a long time. Everything he touched seemed to turn to gold.

  “So this was everything that Christian Pulisic is encapsulated into one game. And rightfully he is receiving, you know, the flowers that a performance like that and combined with I think a consistency now of quality and elite performances that was attributed to him.”

Advertisement

• Getty Images Sport
  

  Change of tone for the summer

  Lalas’ latest remarks mark a shift from the U.S. icon, who spent much of the summer criticizing Pulisic for skipping the Gold Cup and bristling at the star’s reaction to that scrutiny.

  “The bigger problem for Christian Pulisic not to be here this summer is that you got to read the room, dude,” Lalas said. “I would think if this really means something to you, that you would move heaven and earth to be there to try to set this right. Now, does it mean that it’s all going to go great? No, but at least you are there in the trenches in the most important moment before this World Cup helping this team.”

  Pulisic later addressed the criticism directly in his documentary series.

  “I think everyone has, you know, had their opinion on me and, in my opinion, just disrespected me in a lot of ways, and just completely forgotten about what I’ve done for this national team for 10 years. It sucks,” he said. “If you went and you read the media, you probably think this was the end of the world. But in my head, I’m going back, and I’m right back into it with my club. I’ve got other things I’m focusing on, and I want to win – I want to win in everything that I do.”

• Getty
  

  Lalas discusses Pulisic's place among all-time American greats

  Lalas shifted the conversation toward Pulisic’s historical standing among American players, weighing where the Milan star belongs on his personal Mount Rushmore of U.S. soccer legends. The FOX analyst acknowledged there are plenty of arguments for Pulisic to already be considered the greatest American ever, citing his success at multiple top European clubs.

  “I think that Christian Pulisic is absolutely heading in the direction of being the best male American soccer player in history for what he has done,” Lalas said. “The Rushmore thing is interesting because I think it certainly relates to what you have done, but I also think it relates to the impact that you have – the lasting impact that you have. The historical aspects of what you do and the fundamental change that you bring…When you’re talking about a player, you know, what has Christian Pulisic done? I think you can make plenty of arguments.”

  Looking ahead to next summer’s World Cup on home soil, Lalas suggested international success could cement Pulisic’s legacy beyond any remaining doubts.

  “Again, while he has scored in the World Cup and while he has played in the World Cup, owning a World Cup – which is on offer next summer for him and this national team – I think that would shut up any people out there that are arguing against that."

  Lalas also believes the only reason why Pulisic isn't bigger stateside yet is due to the fact that he's had his biggest successes in Europe. He hopes his star will continue to grow bigger in America, even if that means eventually coming to play in MLS one day. 

  “I will be interested when, in totality, we look at Christian Pulisic’s career, what he ends up doing. If maybe it comes back to MLS or does something back in the United States other than just making an incredible impact from afar – and if that maybe changes some people’s minds.”

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• Road ahead for Milan

  Pulisic had another brilliant performance for AC Milan on Tuesday, coming off the bench to score in the club's 3-0 win over Lecce. His goal tally is now five goals in six games overall, and he'll be looking to bring his strong form into an early-season test against Napoli on Sept. 28. 

تعقدت آمال منتخب السويد في التأهل إلى بطولة كأس العالم، نسخة 2026، بعدما تعرض للهزيمة على يد منتخب كوسوفو، مساء يوم الإثنين، في إطار التصفيات المؤهلة إلى المنافسة المرموقة.

واستضاف ملعب “أوليفي” في السويد مباراة المنتخبين مساء الإثنين، في خضم تصفيات في قارة أوروبا المؤهلة إلى بطولة كأس العالم العام المقبل، حيث تعرض أصحاب الأرض للخسارة بهدف دون رد.

جاء هدف المباراة الوحيد عن طريق اللاعب فيسنيك أسلاني، في الدقيقة 32 من عمر الشوط الأول، ليمنح كوسوفو 3 نقاط ويزيد الضغوط على السويد.

اقرأ أيضًا | خطوة واحدة.. دي بروين يقود بلجيكا لفوز ثمين على ويلز في تصفيات كأس العالم

بتلك النتيجة، تجمد رصيد منتخب السويد عند نقطة واحدة فقط في المركز الرابع والأخير في المجموعة الثانية، بينما ارتفع رصيد كوسوفو إلى 7 نقاط في المركز الثاني.

جاءت خسارة السويد رغم مشاركة نجم ليفربول، ألكسندر إيزاك، في المباراة حيث خاضها بأكملها، بجوار نجم آرسنال فيكتور جيوكيريس، ولكن لم يتمكن أي منهما من إحداث فارق لصالح منتخب بلاده.

وتتبقى مباراتين فقط أمام السويد قبل نهاية التصفيات حيث تواجه كل من سويسرا وسلوفينيا، في شهر نوفمبر المقبل.

ولم يحقق منتخب السويد أي فوز طوال مشواره في التصفيات حتى الآن، حيث تعرض للهزيمة في 3 مباريات وتعادل في واحدة فقط.

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A menos de duas semanas da abertura da janela de transferências, que se inicia no dia 3 de julho, o Corinthians quer antecipar o máximo que conseguir dos contatos para fechar os negócios desejados já no início do período de transações. Porém, a realidade financeira, que não é nada boa, tem atrapalhado as pretensões do clube. 

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O Timão novamente optou pela estratégia de olhar o mercado internacional e praticamente ignorar possíveis opções no Brasil. O entendimento da diretoria é que no cenário nacional não há atletas que possam mudar substancialmente o patamar do elenco, principal objetivo do departamento de futebol no segundo semestre. 

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No entanto, mirar fora do Brasil traz o desafio de negociar com clubes que estão em uma realidade financeira muito melhor que a do Corinthians e a necessidade dos alvinegros serem criativos e ‘atacar’ em detalhes específicos, como buscar atletas que estão há algum tempo em mercados alternativos e desejam retornar ao cenário nacional.

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É o caso do volante Cuéllar, por exemplo. O colombiano está no Al Hilal, da Arábia Saudita, desde 2019, quando deixou o Flamengo, e deseja voltar a atuar no Brasil. O acerto do Timão com o estafe do jogador aconteceu desde o começo das conversas, mas esbarrou na pedida do clube saudita, que recuou e aceitou se enquadrar na realidade financeira corintiana nos últimos dias, após contratar um meio-campista com as características do alvo alvinegro e com mais grife, que é Rúben Neves, que estava no Wolverhampton, da Inglaterra, além de fazer proposta por Sergio Busquets, do Barcelona. 

Por sua vez, o duro momento financeiro do Corinthians atrapalhou os planos de ter o zagueiro Lucas Veríssimo. Assim como aconteceu com Cuéllar, a direção corintiana se acertou primeiramente com o estafe do atleta, que tinha o interesse de voltar a atuar no Brasil para recuperar o ritmo de jogo, perdido após uma lesão no joelho sofrida no fim de 2021. No entanto, o Benfica, de Portugal, não aceitou liberar o atleta por empréstimo sem uma compensação financeira, o que atrapalhou os planos corintianos que voltou à estaca zero na busca por um defensor. 

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Uma alternativa que se mostrou bem-sucedida no Timão neste pré-janela foi monitorar o mercado sul-americano, já que a moeda brasileira é melhor valorizada do que a dos demais países do continente. Foi assim que o clube alvinegro conseguiu encaminhar a contratação de Matías Rojas, que tem contrato com o Racing, da Argentina, até o fim deste mês, e tem acordo para vestir a camisa alvinegra a partir de julho. Ele chega ‘de graça’ ao Corinthians, mas valorizado pelo bom momento na sua atual equipe. Assim, a aquisição do jogador, ainda que sem custos na operação, precisou de uma malabarismo para que os corintianos adaptassem o atleta na realidade salarial sem onerar ainda mais a folha de pagamento. A solução foi firmar um vínculo mais longo do que o pedido – quatro anos ao invés de três -, mantendo a pedida do meio-campista no contrato total, mas em um período maior, que diminuiria o valor do compromisso mensal. 

Desta forma, o Time do Povo, que mapeou quatro posições para serem reforçadas na próxima janela de transferências, está adiantado para solucionar duas necessidades, ambas no meio-campo, com um volante e um armador, que também jogue pelos lados.

No entanto, ainda há dois desafios: a contratação de um zagueiro e de um atacante que atue pelas pontas. No setor ofensivo, todos os jogadores monitorados foram considerados caros e, além de não se enquadrarem na realidade financeira corintiana, não estavam disponíveis para conversas que permitissem um acordo ‘criativo’.

Assim, ainda que não tenha conseguido encaminhar as contratações desejadas para as duas posições consideradas carentes no elenco no pré-janela, a fim de fechar as contratações assim que o mercado abrir, a diretoria seguirá ativa até o fim do período de transferências para encontrar essas soluções mesmo longe de estar em uma situação financeira saudável.