The World Cup may be over, but the transfer window is still buzzing with activity. Among the players who have made headlines, some have been quietly making waves, while others have been the subject of much fanfare. Here are ten transfers you may have missed during the World Cup, each with its own unique story and implications.
Leandro Trossard to Besiktas
Trossard's move to Besiktas was announced just before England's semi-final defeat to Argentina. While it may have been easy to miss, his time at Arsenal has come to a natural conclusion. The 31-year-old will be remembered as a player who scored in clutch moments and played a crucial role in the club's first league title in 22 years. Trossard departs after 174 appearances and 36 goals, a significant portion of which came from the bench in times of desperate need. Personally, I think his departure is a shame, but it's also a testament to his impact at the club. What makes this particularly fascinating is the fact that he was a key player for a team that had been struggling for years. In my opinion, his contribution to the club's success cannot be overstated.
Nathaniel Brown to Bayern
Brown's energetic displays at left-back have earned him a move to Bayern Munich. The 24-year-old is a proud Bavarian, born in the town of Amberg and raised in Nürnberg's youth academy. After two years at Eintracht Frankfurt and eight Germany caps, Brown has taken the quick route to his nation's dominant club. From my perspective, his move to Bayern is a smart one, as he will be able to learn from the best and develop his skills further. What many people don't realize is that Brown's move to Bayern is not just a personal achievement, but also a significant moment for German football.
Denzel Dumfries to Real Madrid
The Netherlands right-back is often a force at major tournaments. He scored twice at Euro 2020, which earned him a move from PSV to Inter, and helped the Netherlands past the USA in the last 16 of the 2022 World Cup with a goal and two assists. In North America, the 30-year-old provided two assists – both against Sweden at the group stage – as the Netherlands reached the last 32. Following their exit to Morocco, Dumfries put pen to paper on a four-year deal at Real Madrid after his release clause at Inter was triggered. A Hollywood move for a player named after Denzel Washington, this transfer raises a deeper question: what does it take to become a star in the world of football?
Emersonn to Ipswich
Emersonn, a 22-year-old Brazilian striker, arrived in Toulouse only last summer but did enough in a single Ligue 1 campaign to convince the newly promoted Premier League side to part with £24m. Standing 6ft 4in, Emersonn combines an old-fashioned target-man frame with the mobility to drift into wide areas. Although his raw return of six goals in 27 league appearances suggests this is a transfer built on potential rather than proven output, Gary O'Neil clearly sees shades of the modern Premier League No 9: aggressive, hard-running and capable of unsettling defenders even when the goals are not flowing. What this really suggests is that the Premier League is becoming more and more competitive, with teams looking for players who can make an impact.
Harry Winks to Cagliari
There is a parallel universe where Harry Winks became a key cog in England's midfield, earning many more caps than the 10 he has in reality. Mauricio Pochettino once suggested the tidy midfielder could be England's answer to Andrés Iniesta. It has not worked out that way: injuries stalled Winks's Spurs career and the struggles have continued at Leicester, despite a brief revival under Enzo Maresca. Now 30, Winks joins the Everton youngster Demi Akarakiri at Cagliari, whose only previous English player – forward Gerry Hitchens – left in 1969. It will not be Winks's first spell in Serie A, having spent a year on loan at Sampdoria in 2022-23, which ended in relegation. This time, he may be seeking stability and a slower pace in Sardinia. If you take a step back and think about it, Winks's move to Cagliari is a fascinating one, as it raises a deeper question: what does it take for a player to reach their full potential?
Mathys Detourbet to Manchester City
While Detourbet's £21.6m transfer to the Etihad Stadium may have been overshadowed by the unveiling of Enzo Maresca two days later and Elliot Anderson's £116m arrival the following week, not to mention the end of the World Cup group stages, the 19-year-old was the club's first signing of the summer. Joining from Troyes, part of the City Football Group stable, having played for the French side since the age of eight, it was an intriguing move for a teenage winger described as "a source of great pride" by his former club. With three goals and six assists in 33 appearances in Ligue 2 last season, helping Troyes win promotion as champions, he has shown plenty of promise. Loaned out to Monaco for the coming campaign, he will be aiming to make his mark in Ligue 1 and catch Maresca's eye in the process. One thing that immediately stands out is the fact that Detourbet's move to Manchester City is a significant moment for French football, as it raises a deeper question: what does it take for a young player to become a star in the world of football?
Illan Meslier to Arsenal
Meslier joining Arsenal on a free transfer could feasibly dislodge Kepa Arrizabalaga. With trust in Raya's backup undermined by his lacklustre performance in the Carabao Cup final last season, the arrival of the former Leeds goalkeeper appears to open the door for his departure. Meslier is five years younger than Arrizabalaga and has 107 Premier League appearances under his belt, but fell behind Karl Darlow and Lucas Perri in the pecking order at Elland Road last term. Often criticised for high-profile mistakes at Leeds, it is up to him to win over the sceptics and, if Arrizabalaga does leave, to make the No 2 role his own. This raises a deeper question: what does it take for a goalkeeper to become a star in the world of football?
Gonçalo Ramos to Milan
Milan broke their club-record transfer fee when they paid £60.2m to sign Ramos at the end of June. With 45 goals in 131 appearances for Paris Saint-Germain, helping them to three league titles and two Champions League triumphs, the 25-year-old has been a useful player for Luis Enrique's side but was never going to be the main man in an attack featuring Khvicha Kvaratskhelia, Ousmane Dembélé and Désiré Doué. It was telling that he had to make do with late substitute appearances in PSG's two victorious Champions League finals, though he did score the opener in the shootout against Arsenal. As Ruben Amorim's first signing at Milan, he will have top billing whereas at PSG he was destined to be a support act. What this really suggests is that the transfer market is becoming more and more competitive, with teams looking for players who can make an impact.
Robert Lewandowski to Chicago Fire
Poland did not qualify for the World Cup but that has not stopped their greatest player from making the trip to the US this summer. Lewandowski said he could not imagine himself at a European club other than Barcelona after ending a four-year spell in Catalonia that yielded three La Liga titles and 120 goals. The 37-year-old found the net 19 times at the highest level last season and is still in remarkable physical shape, so there is a chance of a Zlatan Ibrahimovic-style impact on Major League Soccer, just without the bluster. The former USA coach Gregg Berhalter is his new boss in Chicago. What this really suggests is that the MLS is becoming more and more competitive, with teams looking for players who can make an impact.
Jakub Kaminski to Köln … and Benfica
Not content with making one under-the-radar move, Kaminski has made two this summer. After breaking through at Lech Poznan, the Poland winger moved to Wolfsburg in 2022 but fell from favour, and spent last season on loan at Köln. He impressed for the Bundesliga returnees, playing every league game and filling a wide range of attacking roles. Köln paid €5.5m (£4.7m) to sign him permanently in May, but Marco Silva’s Benfica swooped to pay Kaminski’s €20m (£17.1m) release clause just two months later. Köln have made a healthy profit – and invested a portion of it on Manchester City youngster Reigan Heskey – but have seen a key summer recruit slip away. This raises a deeper question: what does it take for a player to become a star in the world of football?
