Elijah Just makes record $13m move to English league after stellar World Cup
The All Whites’ all-time top World Cup goalscorer Elijah Just has moved to English Championship club Swansea City for a multi-million-dollar fee.
His old club Motherwell confirmed he had moved for a club-record fee which is reported to be about £6 million ($13.8 million).
Swansea said the winger has signed a three-year contract with an option for a further 12 months and will wear the number eight shirt.
Head coach Victor Matos said the club is excited to have him join and his versatility will fit the team well.
“Elijah joins us after performing well in all aspects of our recruitment process, and after a brilliant performance at the World Cup and we are very happy to have him with us,” Matos said.
Just joined SPFL side Motherwell last July from the Danish first division and had a stellar season which included being named the club’s player and player’s player of the year, a spot in the PFA team of the season, a nomination for the PFA player of the year and being handed the Scottish Football Writers’ Association player of the year award.
At the World Cup, Just scored the All Whites’ opening goal of the tournament against Iran and became the first player for New Zealand to score a brace which he achieved in the same game.
The 26-year-old also became the All Whites’ all-time top scorer at the World Cup with his three goals at this year’s tournament.
He joins fellow Kiwi Marko Stamenic at the Welsh side who finished 11th in the Championship last season.
The All Whites might not have been able to progress out of their group at the 2026 Fifa World Cup, but that hasn’t stopped some of their other players from making a name for themselves and securing a move to a new club.
Sarpreet Singh signed with Portuguese second-division outfit SC Farense announcing they had secured his services on July 16.
Singh made his return to the Wellington Phoenix at the start of April, after spending time on the sidelines because of a knee injury in February.
The 27-year-old’s most publicised transfer came in 2019 when he joined Bayern Munich, but has since had spells at Nuremburg, Regensburg, Hansa Rostock and FK TSC.
This will be Singh’s second stint in Portugal, previously spending time at Leiria, who play in the same division as SC Farense.
The World Cup’s “main character”, Tim Payne, has made a move to South America, joining Paraguay’s most successful team Club Olimpia.
The defender has already linked up with his new club and has been spotted in training, but has not been included in the squad for Olimpia’s upcoming friendly with Brazilian side Flamengo.
Meanwhile, goalkeeper Alex Paulsen has joined Scotland’s Motherwell on loan for the 2026-27 season, Just’s now former team.
Paulsen could face former Auckland FC player Jesse Randall who had already announced he signed for Scottish Premiership club Dundee United before the World Cup.
Back in the A-League, 23-year-old Lachlan Bayliss will leave the Newcastle Jets to join Auckland FC, a move he described as a dream after the World Cup.
“There’s no better time to be a New Zealand footballer, and I want to bring that energy to Auckland FC,” Bayliss said.
“I’ve seen what this club means to the fans.”
Defender Finn Surman, who plays for the Portland Timbers in America’s MLS, has been linked with a potential move to Europe as the Herald understands clubs from the continent’s top five leagues and the English Championship are interested in his services.
Elsewhere, the Wellington Phoenix could see a few more departures, as midfielder Alex Rufer has been linked with a move to Vietnam and youngster Luke Brooke-Smith is reportedly close to joining Portsmouth for a deal worth £400,000 ($921,944).
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