10 World Cup Stars Poised for Summer Transfers After Shining in North America
The World Cup often reshapes careers, shining a spotlight on players who suddenly become highly sought after. This summer looks no different, with the 2026 tournament—the largest ever—offering more opportunities for talent to get noticed. Scouts and clubs worldwide have been busy tracking standout performers.
Newcastle recently agreed to pay £51.5 million ($69m) for Johan Manzambi, a versatile 20-year-old attacker crucial to Switzerland’s run to the quarterfinals. But many others caught attention and may soon switch clubs. Here are 10 stars likely to move this summer.
Elijah Just (New Zealand)
Motherwell signed Just from Horsens last summer, but his value has soared after scoring three goals at the World Cup. Celtic and Toulouse are reportedly interested, and the winger could command around £4m, a big jump from the fee paid a year ago.
Mbekezeli Mbokazi (South Africa)
Mbokazi, a 20-year-old defender with Chicago Fire, played every minute of South Africa’s historic knockout run. His agent revealed that Napoli and Nottingham Forest are among the clubs chasing him. The focus is on landing him in a top-five European league; Champions League football seems within reach.
Tarik Muharemovic (Bosnia & Herzegovina)
Before the World Cup, Inter and Juventus showed interest in Muharemovic, who moved permanently to Sassuolo last year. Both Serie A giants now regret missing a chance to sign him cheaply. Premier League clubs like Sunderland are also monitoring him after strong performances. Muharemovic prefers Milan but might end up in England, where bigger fees are common.
Julian Quinones (Mexico)
Quinones won the Saudi Pro League Golden Boot last season, beating top names like Ivan Toney and Cristiano Ronaldo. He scored in four of Mexico’s five World Cup games, boosting his profile. Although Al-Qadsiah renewed his contract recently and can demand a good price, the 29-year-old winger would welcome a move to the Premier League.
Gilberto Mora (Mexico)
Liverpool reportedly wants Mora, a 17-year-old midfielder who impressed after coming off the bench for Mexico. He earned starts against Ecuador and England. Despite being raw, his potential attracts interest from heavyweights including Manchester City, Arsenal, Barcelona, and Real Madrid. His value is now estimated around €40 million.
Antonio Nusa (Norway)
While Erling Haaland stole headlines in the US, Nusa also impressed as Norway’s left-sided threat. Tottenham held off signing him in January but are now preparing a formal offer to RB Leipzig. Arsenal might try to swoop in, continuing their trend of intercepting Spurs transfers.
Crysencio Summerville (Netherlands)
West Ham is already offloading players, with Fernandes moving to Tottenham. Summerville looks set to follow, having boosted his worth through dynamic World Cup displays. He scored twice and assisted twice in limited starts. Liverpool leads interest, with a potential £50m fee, after Fulham showed earlier interest.
Ayyoub Bouaddi (Morocco)
Bouaddi stunned many by controlling Morocco’s opener against Brazil at MetLife Stadium. The Lille midfielder is just 18 but widely expected to reach Europe’s elite level soon. Premier League giants Arsenal, Liverpool, and Manchester United are all keen on the former France Under-21 international, who started four of Morocco’s five matches.
Bruno Guimaraes (Brazil)
Despite Brazil’s early exit, Guimaraes shone, assisting four times. Newcastle’s captain missed a penalty in the round of 16 loss to Norway but remained a top performer. Arsenal want to sign him, hoping to get a bargain as he wishes to leave Newcastle. Still, they will likely pay at least £80m.
Yan Diomande (Ivory Coast)
Diomande dispelled doubts about his ability at the highest level during the World Cup. Though he didn’t score and only had one assist, his pace and skill were clear. Liverpool appeared close to signing him before the tournament, but now Paris Saint-Germain leads the race. Leipzig wants to keep him another year, but a nine-figure transfer to PSG seems imminent.
