Bold Summer Transfer Predictions Ahead of the 2026 Men's World Cup

Clubs across Europe are already scouring the transfer market for squad improvements ahead of the 2026-27 campaign, but one factor is increasing the urgency to secure desired talent. 

The 2026 World Cup in Canada, Mexico, and the United States could see the values of a few players soar following remarkable performances on the global stage, adding a couple of million to their price tags.

That's why some clubs are trying to make deals now, avoiding an unnecessary extra hit to their transfer budget and the increased competition for a player's signature. 

On the flip side, some teams might be looking to jettison players as soon as possible to earn maximum value. An injury at the tournament could stop a potential exit or at least reduce a player's value. 

But with time running out before the World Cup kicks off on June 11, when Mexico and South Africa meet for the first game of the global showpiece, a handful of clubs will want to at least get agreements in motion, if not fully complete them—contract talks and medicals will be tough to arrange with players focused on international training camps.

Ahead, we've looked at some bold deals that could be agreed upon before the competition begins.

Arsenal Seal a Striking Upgrade

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The dust has barely settled on Arsenal's first Premier League title in 22 years, but the Gunners will already be plotting how they will remain at the top of English football.

While Viktor Gyökeres' 14 league goals were crucial in the north Londoners' pursuit of Premier League glory, he was a slightly awkward fit in the starting XI. Meanwhile, backup option Gabriel Jesus managed just three goals in 14 appearances.

Either a player with more coherence in manager Mikel Arteta's system or at least a competent striking substitute should be at the top of the agenda. Getting in quickly before some high-profile strikes on the global stage is probably a good idea.

While Jesus is possibly heading for an Emirates Stadium exit, the Gunners could look to Brazil for a possible replacement. Maybe taking a gamble on Endrick, who has not quite broken through at Real Madrid, could pay off handsomely in the future. He did well on loan at Lyon, with five goals in 12 Ligue 1 appearances, and he'd be a more mobile option at the point of attack. If he bags a goal or two at the World Cup, though, Real might be keener to keep him around, and his value might soar.

Or perhaps making a concrete bid for Atletico Madrid's Julian Alvarez might be wise before his World Cup campaign with Argentina, which could strengthen the Rojiblancos' negotiating position.

Barcelona Claw Back Some Funds

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Anthony Gordon has already been announced as Barcelona's first new arrival of the summer, joining from Newcastle United for a reported fee of around $93 million.

With the club's well-known financial issues, it's likely they will need to at least reduce the wage bill or offload some players for a fee to balance the books.

Marcus Rashford's return to Manchester United and Robert Lewandowski's expiring contract will handle some of the former, while for the latter, some fringe players could be pushed toward the exit door soon before possible injuries reduce their value.

Jules Kounde, Ferran Torres, and Dani Olmo should all play at least some part at the World Cup and could all be sold to free up some funds. There's a balancing act, of course, as big performances could result in the Blaugrana regretting the choice to sell early.

However, at least for those players, there's not a lot of scope for values to increase massively, and a big injury during the tournament will make prospective clubs much less interested. Shopping those squad members now—among others who are not in Hansi Flick's plans—would make a lot of sense.

Chelsea Cash In

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The Xabi Alonso era will soon begin at Chelsea, which could either represent BlueCo's first good managerial decision or another ill-advised move in the career of one of the brightest young coaches in the game. 

But the Spaniard's arrival might not soothe the tempers of some players who have already made their displeasure at the club apparent, or who are even more disillusioned with the Blues now that no European football at all is on the schedule next season.

Enzo Fernandez and Marc Cucurella were among the players who made thinly veiled come-and-get-me pleas during last season, and the courting of new clubs should only ramp up following Chelsea's disastrous 2025-26 campaign. 

With those players set to line up for Argentina and Spain, respectively, in the World Cup, and their values not expected to climb much higher, now should be the time to cut bait before any injury problems rear their head. 

While interested buyers won't be hard to find, stumping up the cash to take them away from Stamford Bridge on short notice might be a little trickier. However, the Blues need to act fast to get good value for disgruntled stars before heading into yet another rebuild. 

Real Madrid Raid Benfica Before Mourinho's Arrival

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Jose Mourinho is making a sensational return to Real Madrid, with the hopes he can repeat his previous success with Los Blancos to end the Spanish giants' two-year drought in both La Liga and the Champions League. 

The Portuguese did a solid, if not sublime, job with Benfica in the Primeira Liga. The highlight of his brief tenure in Lisbon was undoubtedly a dramatic win over the club he's set to return to in the final matchday of the Champions League League Phase, which took As Águias to the competition's knockout playoff. 

In the end, that resulted in three consecutive UCL games against Los Blancos, with a repeat, two-legged meeting with the La Liga side in the next stage. 

That gave Mourinho a unique comparison between his two most recent clubs, perhaps informing the 63-year-old who would be most suited to a switch across the Iberian Peninsula.

He might see Colombia's Richard Rios as a perfect battling fit in Real's engine room, or he might predict that Norway's Andreas Schjelderup is primed for a breakout at the tournament.  

With that in mind, Mourinho could instruct his new employers to swoop quickly to start the Special One's second era off on the right foot.

Liverpool Secure a New Center-back

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Negotiations between Liverpool and Ibrahima Konate have reportedly broken down, and the Frenchman is set to leave the club when his contract expires at the end of June.

That means the Reds' already desperate need for a center back has become an even more glaring concern. While a dip into the transfer market to resolve that issue isn't exactly a bold suggestion, a move to sign a replacement before the World Cup commences would demonstrate unusual urgency from decision-makers who are known to bide their time when it comes to player recruitment.

With the competition set to provide a stage for a host of young center-backs to show what they've got up against the best attackers on the planet, the board will want to move quickly to lock down at least one reinforcement before market values become inflated.

Ousmane Diomande or Gonçalo Inácio from Sporting CP could be on the radar ahead of their tournaments with Ivory Coast and Portugal, respectively. Or the Reds might want to take a punt on Nice's Antoine Mendy, a player with a similar profile to Konate positionally and physically who could fully break out with Senegal. 

The departure of Arne Slot might slow those plans down, though, with the new manager likely to have their own shortlist of defensive arrivals. 

Whatever happens, Liverpool simply can't go into next season after neglecting this area of the squad again. 

Bayern Munich Ramp Up the Yan Diomande Chase

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With Anthony Gordon having chosen Barcelona for his next career step, Bayern Munich will now have to look elsewhere for squad reinforcements. 

That should hasten their desire to pluck Yan Diomande from RB Leipzig, with the Ivory Coast international tipped to light up the 2026 World Cup. His fee could quickly rise by $10 million to $20 million if the Bundesliga side doesn't act fast. 

Of course, reported interest from Liverpool should also prompt a bit of haste, and other clubs could yet join the fray if they like what they see from the 19-year-old at the tournament. 

Adding a player of Diomande's potential to a squad that already features Luis Díaz and Michael Olise on the wings would be terrifying. The Ivorian can play on either the left or the right, providing backup for both and a rotation option that won't result in a loss of quality.

If Bayern want to make the push to pick up their first Champions League title since 2019-20 next season, Diomande could be the missing piece of the puzzle.