Harry Souttar has turn out to be Australia’s most costly soccer participant, signing for English Premier League facet Leicester Metropolis from second-tier Stoke Metropolis for $26m.
The Socceroo turns into the one Australian at present taking part in in England’s top-flight and is more likely to go straight into the Foxes group.
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His payment eclipses the preliminary $14m Huddersfield paid Manchester Metropolis for Aaron Mooy in 2007.
It pushes Mark Viduka’s $10m transfer from Celtic to Leeds in 2000 into third place.
“I am delighted to affix such a fantastic soccer membership and difficult myself within the Premier League is a chance that I could not flip down,” Souttar mentioned in a press release.
“There are world-class amenities right here and a squad filled with implausible gamers so I am unable to wait to get began.”
Souttar has signed a five-and-a-half-year take care of Leicester.
A switch payment was agreed between the golf equipment mid-morning UK time however because the clock ticked in direction of the closure of the English switch window at 11pm stress started to develop earlier than official affirmation.
After the deadline had handed, the transfer was confirmed with the announcement coming with a social media reveal video of Souttar kitting up.
Socceroos was once a well-known sight in England’s elite – from Craig Johnston via to the likes of Viduka, Harry Kewell, Lucas Neill, Tim Cahill, Mark Schwarzer and Mile Jedinak.
However in recent times they’ve turn out to be extra uncommon, though Mat Ryan had 4 seasons at Brighton – the place he was briefly joined by Mooy – culminating in a spell on mortgage as Arsenal’s back-up keeper in 2021.
There are three different Australians on the books of Premier League golf equipment however all have been despatched out on mortgage.
Tyrese Francois, a 22-year-old midfielder born in Campbelltown, got here off the bench within the 89th minute of Fulham’s 0-Zero draw with Wolves in August to make his Premier League debut, however is at present with Croatian membership NHK Gorica.
Olyroos midfielder Caleb Watts has performed within the top-flight for Southampton, however is at present turning out for tier-three Morecambe.
Garang Kuol joined Newcastle United firstly of January however was rapidly despatched on mortgage to Scottish membership Hearts.
Souttar was born in Aberdeen – his brother John is a Scotland worldwide – and was capped by the nation at under-17 and under-19 degree.
However his mum hails from Port Hedland in Western Australia and he has thrown in his lot with the Socceroos, making his debut in 2019 on his first go to down beneath.
The 24-year-old practically missed out on final 12 months’s World Cup after he tore his ACL taking part in for the Socceroos in November 2021 however he regained health simply in time and produced a sequence of eye-catching performances as Australia reached the final 16.
The Foxes’ subsequent match is at Aston Villa on Saturday (Sunday AEDT) with a house debut marking England captain Harry Kane on Souttar’s agenda for the next weekend.
