Football giants consider record $41m asking price for Socceroos star

Alessandro Circati could be set to smash the Australian transfer record after two Serie A giants enquired about the $41 million AUD fee to secure his services.

Juventus and AC Milan have reportedly joined the race to secure the Socceroos defender’s signature, but they will have to accept the hefty asking price of Parma.

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Interest in the 22-year-old has boomed since he returned from the FIFA World Cup, where he featured heavily in all four of Australia’s matches.

The likes of La Liga’s Atletico Madrid, Ligue 1’s Paris Saint-Germain and Premier League club Newcastle United have all been linked to him.

But Parma have made clear they are in no mood to let the Australian go with ease, setting an asking price of at least $41m on his services, as per football transfer reporter Ekrem Konur.

Initial reports suggested that Circati may be moved on for a fee of around $32m - a sum that is $7m more than the Australian record set by Harry Souttar after the 2022 World Cup when he moved from Stoke City to Leicester City.

Souttar’s record is bound to fall in the coming weeks with either Circati or 18-year-old Lucas Herrington set to etch their names in the history books.

Hull City have reportedly reached an agreement to sign Herrington from the Colorado Rapids for a fixed transfer fee of $24m plus roughly $8.5m in add-ons.

Circati could topple Herrington’s remarkable move if Parma, who he is signed to until 2029, come to an agreement with Juventus or AC Milan.

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Regardless of the jersey Circati dons in the Serie A, it is a promising sign for the next generation and growth of Australian football.

Circati impressed in his 33 games across all competitions over the course of the 2025-26 season, with that fine form heavily assisting Australia at the World Cup.

Better yet, Australia now has a strong group of talent playing in some of the world’s biggest leagues. Herrington is the only Australian at this time that will be in the Premier League, and Circati is in a similar boat in the Serie A.

As for the Bundesliga, Paul Okon-Engstler, Jackson Irvine and Conor Metcalf are all ready for the new season to kick off, while Patrick Beach is in Ligue 1.

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Mat Ryan, Australia’s long-standing skipper, is playing in La Liga team Levante UD this season.

Nestory Irankunda, on the other hand, has been linked to make the move to a top-flight league as well as a move to Portugal, but Watford have yet to settle on any proposed offers for their young star.

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