Records

Saudi Pro League (SPL) clubs splashed out almost one billion dollars in the transfer window in a bid to boost the domestic competition by attracting some of the world's leading players, according to analysis from Deloitte published on Friday.

How much did Saudi Pro League spend in 2023 summer transfer window?

The outlay of $957 million in the Saudi window, which closed on Sept. 7, exceeded the spending of four of Europe's 'big five' leagues with only England's Premier League clubs splurging more on transfers than those in the Middle Eastern nation.

Folarin Balogun is nearing a big move from Arsenal to French club AS Monaco as it was reported by journalist Fabrice Hawkins on Thursday that the two clubs reached an agreement. The Balogun Monaco transfer would be permanent for €45 million ($48.6 million).

Balogun Monaco transfer

Lionel Messi did it again Saturday night with a spectacular goal vs. Nashville SC in the Leagues Cup final as Inter Miami won 10-9 on penalty kicks after drawing 1-1 after 90 minutes.

United States men’s national team fans could only watch on in horror as our beautiful defensive prince Walker Zimmerman was torn to shreds along with the rest of the Nashville defense in the 23rd minute.

Up until that point Nashville had nullified the Messi effect. The Argentine had touched the ball only a handful of times and had no impact on the game yet.

LONDON — Chelsea have agreed a deal to sign Ecuador midfielder Moises Caicedo from Brighton & Hove Albion, according to media reports on Sunday which said the fee would be a British record.

Sky Sports reported that Chelsea will pay 115 million pounds ($145.98 million), eclipsing the previous mark set when they bought Enzo Fernandez from Benfica for 106.8 million pounds in January.

It added that Caicedo would sign an eight-year contract, with the Blues paying 100 million pounds plus 15 million in add-ons.

It's a record that you'd imagine can never be broken, but that's exactly what you would've thought about the previous mark. In 2022, on a Wednesday night in Sunderland, the world record for the longest penalty shootout ever was set when Washington and Bedlington Terriers went 27 rounds — taking 54 penalties total — after a 3-3 draw in the Ernest Armstrong Memorial Cup.

Erling Haaland may never let go of the Premier League’s golden boot award. He only needed 185 seconds to score in the 2023-24 EPL opening game before he added a second goal later in the first half.

Burnley hosted the defending European and Premier League champions Manchester City on Friday and got a harsh welcome back to England’s top flight with a 3-0 battering.

The home crowd at Turf Moor were immediately silenced when Haaland scored in the fourth minute.

Sacramento Republic FC of the United Soccer League made history on Tuesday by signing a 13-year-old player to a professional contract.

Da'vian Kimbrough, who is 13 years, 5 months and 13 days old, signed with Sacramento to become the youngest pro player in U.S. soccer history. The record most recently belonged to Maximo Carrizo, who signed with New York City FC's senior squad on his 14th birthday in February 2022.

The club also claims that Kimbrough is the youngest professional athlete in American team sports history.

New York City FC announced the sale of star forward Valentin "Taty" Castellanos to Italian side Lazio on Friday for a team-record transfer fee.

The MLS club did not disclose financial details, but multiple reports said Lazio paid about $16.7 million USD to complete the transaction.

Arsenal have signed Declan Rice on a long-term contract from West Ham United, the north London club said on Saturday, with manager Mikel Arteta describing the England international as an "exceptional talent".

Financial details of the transfer were not disclosed but British media reported that the fee for the midfielder was $137.45 million, making it a record transfer between two British clubs.

"He is a player with tremendous ability, who has been performing at a high level in the Premier League and for England for a number of seasons now," Arteta said in a statement.