Regarded as one of the best left fullbacks in the world, Canadian superstar Alphonso Davies had long been linked with what would’ve been a blockbuster move to Real Madrid.
In the end, European club soccer’s summer transfer window officially closed on Saturday with the Canadian international staying put at Bayern Munich.
But even though things didn’t work out for the Edmonton native, it was still an eventful summer for Canadian players on the transfer market, as several of Davies’ international teammates secured transfer moves to big and important European clubs.
Canada’s historic run at this summer’s Copa América, where it finished fourth place in its tournament debut, caught the attention of the soccer world. As a result, Canadian players were in big demand during the transfer window.
That’s very good news for Canada as it prepares to co-host the 2026 FIFA World Cup. The more members of the national team who can regularly test themselves at the highest levels of the European club game, the more competitive the Canadian men’s team will be on home soil at the World Cup.
“There was a lot of momentum and positivity behind our performances and results from Copa América. [It offered] the opportunity for the players to show their quality in a big competition, to show that we have talent, and that the talent is growing inside of Canada, inside the Canadian national team. It’s given more players the opportunity to move on to bigger situations and bigger opportunities and bigger challenges,” coach Jesse Marsh said this week.
Two such players are defenders Moïse Bombito and Derek Cornelius, who both earned important transfers to clubs in Ligue 1, France’s top division. Bombito, 24, moved from the Colorado Rapids of MLS (for a reported club-record fee of $7.7 million US) to OGC Nice, while Cornelius, 26, was sold by Swedish side Malmö FF to Olympique Marseille.
Both players earned their national team debuts under John Herdman, and Cornelius even made the squad for the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar. But neither of them was given a proper opportunity by Herdman, who stepped down last summer and now serves as the head coach of Toronto FC in MLS.
One of the first things Marsch did when he was appointed as Canada’s new coach in May was to establish Bombito and Cornelius as the team’s starting centre-back duo. Both players responded with a string of outstanding showings and were among Canada’s top performers at the Copa América. Now, they’ll get to play in one of Europe’s top leagues.
Marsch was in attendance for Nice’s home opener against Toulouse last month and was impressed with what he saw from Bombito.
“I was able to see Moïse have a really good performance. For only being with the club for three or four days, it says a lot that they threw him on the pitch right away and invested in him as a player for them for the future,” Marsch stated.
“And Derek also had a good [debut] match at Marseille. He gave up a penalty early on in the first five minutes, and it could have been easy to go downhill from there. But he stayed strong and had a really strong performance … He has the potential to be a big piece of what they’re going to be doing moving forward. Both players are getting the opportunity to play for good coaches. I think both those situations are exciting for us.”
Bombito and Cornelius weren’t the only players to transfer to French clubs over the summer. Influential midfielder Ismaël Koné, 22, was sold by English club Waterford to Olympique Marseille for a reported transfer fee of £15 million. Forward Theo Bair, 25, moved from Scottish outfit Motherwell to AJ Auxerre.
Koné’s star has been on the rise ever since making his professional debut with CF Montreal in 2022. The industrious midfielder did so well in MLS that year that he made Canada’s World Cup squad and earned a transfer move to Waterford.
Bair had a breakout 2023-24 campaign in the Scottish Premier League by scoring a career-high 15 goals for Motherwell after previously toiling with fellow Scottish club St. Johnstone, HamKam in Norway, and the Vancouver Whitecaps in MLS.
An ankle injury has prevented Koné from making his debut for Marseille. But Marsch sees big things in the two-way midfielder’s future in France’s top division.
“I know some of the people at the club at Marseille, and so we’ve had some open discussions, and they’ve been very clear with me about how excited they are to have Koné there, and how much they believe he is going to be a massive part of their team moving forward,” Marsch revealed.
Auxerre is not one of France’s strongest clubs, and it finds itself back in Ligue 1 after winning promotion as the top second-division team in 2023-24. This season is about solidifying its spot in the top tier, and as such, the focus has been on staying defensively sound, so Bair hasn’t had much of a chance to shine.
“He’s playing for a lower-level team, so it’s not like he’s getting tons of touches and been able to make a huge impact in games because they’re defending a lot. But he’s been more effective in terms of his physicality on the pitch, looking more like an explosive striker, looking to find ways to impact the game and find ways to score goals, and been aggressive to get in the box and find chances. And he looks fit and strong,” Marsch explained.
Another Canadian player on the move this summer was midfielder Mathieu Choinière. The 25-year-old was embroiled in a contract dispute with CF Montreal and the MLS club ended up selling him off to Grasshopper Club Zurich of the Swiss league.
Choinière has only earned five caps for Canada since making his national team debut in 2023. But three of his national team appearances have come in the last few months, including two games at Copa América, which suggests he’ll be given more of a chance by Marsch compared to Herdman.
Marsch noted that Grasshopper has a history and a commitment to developing young players, and believes the former Montreal midfielder can thrive there and possibly use it as a career stepping stone.
“I spoke with the people at Grasshopper about Mathieu, and I had a lot of positive things to say because he’s a player with a big future. … I think this move for him is the next step, and a step inside Europe for him to be at a club where they need him, and also where he can develop and have some success without the massive pressure of a massive club, Marsh offered.
He added: “Mathieu has a lot of the qualities that I like in players that play in the centre of the midfield, and I think he’s going to be a big part of the national team moving forward. And I think him establishing himself in Europe will only help him and us to continue to grow and develop and get better.”
While Choinière is arriving in Switzerland, winger Liam Millar, 24, is leaving the country, having signed with Hull City in England’s second division after three years with FC Basel.
Millar spent last season on loan with Preston North End and that gave him a taste for more English club soccer. Millar is coming off a strong Copa América – he made two starts and played in all six of Canada’s games – and Marsch feels the Toronto native has been “playing some of the best football of his career.”
Hull has deployed Millar more centrally in the attack over the course of his five appearances for the club, something that Marsch is encouraged about.
“I’ve been challenging him to be more than just a winger… Liam is being asked to come inside more at Hull, and he’s not just standing on the wing. He’s been more a part of things. I think he’s been more active; he’s looked really good and more aggressive, which is what I’m trying to build into all these guys. So, that’s benefited him, and I think it will continue to benefit him,” Marsch said.
One of the more interesting transfer moves involving a Canadian this summer was that of Kwasi Poku, a 21-year-old native of Brampton, Ont. Poku previously played for Toronto FC’s youth academy but eventually left because of a lack of opportunities and signed with Forge FC in 2022.
The striker ended up scoring 13 goals and tallying four assists in 70 appearances for the Canadian Premier League club before being sold last month to RWD Molenbeek of Belgium’s second division for a CPL-record transfer fee reported to be worth nearly one million dollars.
Poku debuted for his new club on Friday and while he wasn’t included in Marsh’s roster for Canada’s September friendlies against the United States and Mexico, the young striker is on the coach’s radar.
“I really like him. I think he’s athletic, and for a guy who’s just switched to being a striker from a fullback, he has a really clever way of understanding how to move in and around in the box and get open to create chances. I think he’s going to get a [national team] shot soon,” Marsch said.
One Canadian who didn’t change clubs this summer, but is being tracked by several European teams, is Nashville SC winger Jacob Shaffelburg. The 24-year-old from Nova Scotia was one of Canada’s best players at the Copa América, winning plaudits for his dynamic play and speed in unbalancing opposing defenders.
He ended up scoring one goal and tallying an assist in six appearances at the tournament with his eclectic attacking skills earning him the nickname, ‘The Maritime Messi.”
Marsch believes it could be only a matter of time before he moves from MLS to a European club.
“I think it’d be good for Shaff and his personal development, for sure. He’s going to be a new father soon and where he’s at in his life, taking on a more mature, bigger role in life and the like, I think he needs bigger challenges in football, too. I think this all fits together,” Marsch offered.
John Molinaro is one of the leading soccer journalists in Canada, having covered the game for over 20 years for several media outlets, including Sportsnet, CBC Sports and Sun Media. He is currently the editor-in-chief of TFC Republic, a website dedicated to in-depth coverage of Toronto FC and Canadian soccer. TFC Republic can be found here.
The Canadian men’s soccer team has been making waves in the international football scene, with several players catching the eye of top clubs during the busy transfer window. The high demand for Canadian players is a testament to the talent and potential that these athletes possess.
One player who has been attracting a lot of attention is Alphonso Davies, who currently plays for Bayern Munich in the Bundesliga. The 20-year-old winger has been a standout performer for both club and country, showcasing his blistering pace, technical ability, and versatility on the field. Several top European clubs have reportedly expressed interest in signing Davies, with some even considering making a big-money offer to secure his services.
Another player who has been on the radar of many clubs is Jonathan David, who plays for Lille in Ligue 1. The 21-year-old striker has been in scintillating form, scoring goals for fun and attracting interest from top clubs in Europe. David’s ability to find the back of the net with ease has made him a hot commodity in the transfer market, with clubs willing to pay top dollar to bring him on board.
In addition to Davies and David, several other Canadian players have also been linked with moves to top clubs during the transfer window. Players like Cyle Larin, Junior Hoilett, and Scott Arfield have all been touted as potential targets for clubs looking to bolster their squads with quality Canadian talent.
The high demand for Canadian players is a reflection of the growing reputation of the Canadian men’s soccer team on the international stage. With a talented pool of players coming through the ranks and making a name for themselves at top clubs around the world, Canada is quickly establishing itself as a force to be reckoned with in the world of football.
As the transfer window continues to heat up, it will be interesting to see where these Canadian players end up and how they will continue to make an impact on the global soccer scene. With their skill, talent, and potential, it’s no surprise that Canadian players are in high demand during this busy transfer window.