Top 10 American Players Who Moved Clubs in the January Transfer Window

Top 10 American Players Who Moved Clubs in the January Transfer Window

The United States of America is hosting its second FIFA World Cup in 2026, and a lot has changed since the 1994 edition of the global tournament.

Most notably, the nation’s player output has grown. The establishment and success of Major League Soccer in light of U.S.A. ‘94 has led to the development of academy football in the States. As a result, more and more exports are heading to Europe at a young age, crossing the Atlantic with nothing but an American dream.

Due to MLS’s February-December calendar, many of the biggest transfers between North America and Europe happen in the January transfer window, after the MLS season. Recent examples such as Obed Vargas and Alex Freeman’s moves to La Liga highlight how important this time of year is for the U.S. market.

With that being said, it's time to dive into the January transfer window and recap 10 of the greatest American footballers who switched their allegiance in the winter months.

10. Ricardo Pepi (FC Dallas to Augsburg, 2022)

The second most expensive winter transfer fee paid for an American finds itself 10th on this list. Pepi graduated from FC Dallas’ famed Texas academy, known for producing a line of talented youngsters, and at 18 years of age scored 13 goals for the Bulls in the 2021 MLS campaign. This led to Pepi claiming the Young Player of the Year title for his efforts.

Multiple European clubs targeted the USMNT international, but Augsburg won the race, coughing up just over €16 million, which to this day makes Pepi their record signing. Long story short, the move didn’t work out for either party; the ex-teenage sensation failed to score a single goal in his 15 Bundesliga appearances, and in 2023, Pepi was shipped out to PSV Eindhoven for half of the expense Augsburg paid.

🚨⚪️⚫️ EXCLUSIVE: Fulham re-activate talks to sign Ricardo Pepi for summer window after deal off in January.

Fulham management on it with talks already underway on player and club side with PSV Eindhoven.#FFC on it to get it done ahead of June window, early one. 🇺🇸 pic.twitter.com/T3nSO2TXFr

— Fabrizio Romano (@FabrizioRomano) February 5, 2026

9. Michael Bradley (AS Roma to Toronto FC, 2014)

A rare inclusion of a player moving from Europe to MLS. Bradley’s return to the league, after almost a decade travelling around the Netherlands, Germany, England, and Italy, was highly anticipated and defined a new era at Toronto.

The best $10 million the Reds ever spent, Bradley joined Toronto aged 26 and went on to spend 10 seasons in Ontario, making over 300 appearances, after quickly becoming club captain. In the decade spent at the club, the midfielder won an MLS Cup, Supporters’ Shield, reached the CONCACAF Champions Cup final, lifted four Canadian Championships and was named U.S. Soccer Player of the Year in 2015. Not bad for a New Jersey boy.

8. Brenden Aaronson (Philadelphia Union to Red Bull Salzburg, 2021)

The now 25-year-old has had a turbulent career at Leeds United, but is playing some of his best football yet this season. Before his transfer to Elland Road, Aaronson switched from Pennsylvania to Austria after winning the Supporters’ Shield with the Union aged 20.

Signed by Jesse Marsch, for the first of two times, Aaronson’s 18 months in Salzburg quickly proved he was destined to play at a higher level, functioning as a great stepping stone in his career.

🤯😍 WHAT. A. GOAL. pic.twitter.com/uGjhwYtlaE

— Leeds United (@LUFC) December 29, 2024

7. Claudio Reyna (Rangers to Sunderland, 2002)

Reyna’s time in England was hampered by injury, but it was during his time at Sunderland that he starred for the USMNT at the 2002 FIFA World Cup. A £4 million fee paid to Rangers late in 2001 made him the Black Cats' most expensive arrival. He repaid them by making 29 appearances, seeing out just 20 months of his five-year contract, before leaving to join Manchester City for close to half the price Sunderland paid for his efforts.

6. Tyler Adams (New York Red Bulls to RB Leipzig, 2019)

Another American whom Jesse Marsch lured to Europe, and then brought to Leeds United. Adams had previously worked with the coach in New York, quickly becoming a regular starter for the Red Bulls aged 18, winning the Supporters’ Shield in the 2018 MLS season. His move to Germany was relatively successful, taking advantage of the Red Bull ownership system to pave a path into Europe.

Adams has since become a regular in the Premier League and was named the U.S. Soccer Player of the Year in 2022. Currently thriving under Andoni Iraola at Bournemouth, he is expected to play a large part for the USA at the World Cup this summer.

2022 was good to Tyler Adams:

▪️ Helped Leipzig win their first major trophy
▪️ $24M transfer to Leeds
▪️ Named USMNT captain aged just 23
▪️ Played every minute of USA’s games at the World Cup
▪️ Won U.S. Soccer Male Player of the Year

🌟 pic.twitter.com/7kmrXbYLQ2

— B/R Football (@brfootball) January 13, 2023

5. Chris Richards (FC Dallas to Bayern Munich, 2019)

MLS has always had a strong partnership with German clubs; in fact, half of this list features deals between the two nations. Dallas had already sent Weston McKennie to Germany a couple of years earlier, and Richards was up next, joining Bayern’s academy permanently in January 2019 at the age of 18.

Having not played a minute for Dallas’ first team, it was undetermined whether Richards would be a success in Munich. Despite making five Bundesliga appearances for the club, Richards has since found a home at Crystal Palace, becoming a key figure in South London. He, too, was named U.S. Soccer Player of the Year in 2025.

4. Tim Ream (New York Red Bulls to Bolton Wanderers, 2012)

The beginning of Ream’s 12-and-a-half-year spell in England, it is rare to see an MLS player move directly to the Premier League. American exports often use a stepping stone league, such as the Championship, Eredivisie, or even Bundesliga, before taking on the English top flight, but Ream’s performances at the NYRBs had convinced Bolton he was the man to replace an outgoing Gary Cahill.

A few months later, Bolton were relegated from the Premier League, but that did not stop Ream from playing over 430 times for Bolton and Fulham, the latter where he spent the majority of his years. At 38, he is still unbelievably a USMNT regular, highlighting the longevity of his game and how much he is valued by his nation.

Tim Ream became a professional player at 22, after college.

After two years in MLS, he cancelled his honeymoon for a Premier League move to Bolton in 2012.

He then moved to Fulham in 2015. Today, his contract’s been extended to 2025.

What a journey it’s been so far 👏🏾#USMNT pic.twitter.com/KZlVBYSvAo

— Anthony (@AnthonyKyaw) December 30, 2023

3. Landon Donovan (Bayer Leverkusen to LA Galaxy, 2005)

A move which was a fair few years in the making, Donovan was scouted by Leverkusen at 17, but never settled in Germany, and spent a large portion of his half-decade at the club on loan at San Jose. By the time Donovan signed with an MLS franchise permanently for the first time, he had already won two MLS Cups and had been named U.S. Soccer Player of the Year on back-to-back-to-back occasions.

The €1 million fee paid to Leverkusen would ignite Donovan’s dynasty in Southern California, playing 317 times for the Galaxy between 2005 and 2016, with the odd spell at Everton or Bayern Munich in between. He would retire having won four MLS Cups with the club.

2. Clint Dempsey (New England Revolution to Fulham, 2007

Donovan might often steal headlines as the greatest player to ever represent the USA, but this January transfer takes the title of the most successful dealings between MLS and the Premier League. Dempsey was already a star in New England after being picked eighth in the 2004 MLS Super Draft. Three fruitful seasons in Massachusetts followed before Fulham offered $4 million for the then 23-year-old.

A Europa League final run, 60 Cottagers goals, and two Fulham Player of the Season awards later, Dempsey had cemented himself firmly in the memories surrounding Fulham’s early Premier League years.

Clint Dempsey against Juventus 🤯🤯🤯@clint_dempsey || @FulhamFC || #UEL https://t.co/ruG19SdBHv pic.twitter.com/dZUNLFpEZY

— UEFA Europa League (@EuropaLeague) January 11, 2023

1. Christian Pulisic (Borussia Dortmund to Chelsea, 2019)

Captain America’s transfer to Chelsea wasn’t as groundbreaking as Blues fans may have expected before the £58 million move was confirmed. However, the transfer fee alone was enough to land it at the top of this list, absolutely smashing any previous transfer record for an American out of the water.

The deal was a nation-defining occasion, proving that players born within the States could demand numbers that were up there with the best in the business. Pulisic appeared as a substitute in Chelsea’s UEFA Champions League final triumph, making 145 appearances for the West London outfit across four seasons. He is now, of course, known as one of the biggest stars in the Serie A, leading the line for a title-challenging AC Milan.

What a time to score! 😎 pic.twitter.com/cm495fNm5K

— Chelsea FC (@ChelseaFC) April 24, 2022