Bouaddi to Spence: Five World Cup stars who could be rewarded with a big move this summer

[p]Every four years, football’s global showpiece provides the perfect platform for players to boost their career trajectory and attract some of the world’s biggest clubs.[/p][p]From [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/rodriguez-james/MPaioN57/"]James Rodriguez[/a]’s high-profile move to [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/real-madrid/W8mj7MDD/"]Real Madrid[/a] in 2014 to [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/fernandez-enzo/nZnbEVWP/"]Enzo Fernandez[/a]’s £107 million switch to [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/chelsea/4fGZN2oK/"]Chelsea[/a] in 2023, many players have secured career-defining transfers on the back of impressive performances on the World Cup stage.[/p][p]The 2026 edition was no different, and here at [i][b]Flashscore[/b][/i], we’ve picked out five World Cup stars who could be on the move ahead of the 2026/27 season.[/p][h2][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/bouaddi-ayyoub/dpoNasPg/"]Ayyoub Bouaddi[/a][/h2][p]Bouaddi underlined his status as one of the most promising young players in Europe with a terrific tournament in the heart of [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/morocco/IDKYO3R8/"]Morocco[/a]’s midfield.[/p][p][b]The 18-year-old immediately caught the eye with a dominant showing against [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/brazil/I9l9aqLq/"]Brazil[/a]’s [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/casemiro/Ukeq3c0b/"]Casemiro[/a] and [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/bruno-guimaraes/xtyKanzU/"]Bruno Guimaraes[/a] in the Atlas Lions’ [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/game/soccer/brazil-I9l9aqLq/morocco-IDKYO3R8/?mid=b5JayTEd"]Group C opener[/a], and he largely maintained that level as his side reached the quarter-finals.[/b][/p][image alt="Bouaddi's World Cup stats" id="70c43c42-0213-4519-8cbc-10d9b8a4a31e" credit-line="REUTERS / Paul Childs / Opta by StatsPerform" guid="d0e90151-b30a-46d3-951a-94c9347ced0e" original-width="1080" original-height="1080" /][p]Having already racked up 96 appearances for [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/lille/pfDZL71o/"]Lille[/a] at club level, Bouaddi certainly looks to be a top midfielder in waiting, with his accurate passing and strong press resistance a couple of leading qualities.[/p][p][b]Bouaddi’s World Cup exploits have reportedly raised his value to around £100m, as Les Dogues prepare to fend off plenty of offers in the coming months.[/b][/p][p]However, with the likes of [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/manchester-city/Wtn9Stg0/"]Manchester City[/a], [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/manchester-united/ppjDR086/"]Manchester United[/a], [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/barcelona/SKbpVP5K/"]Barcelona[/a] and Real Madrid all among the leading suitors, Bouaddi could well be lining up for a European heavyweight before too long.[/p][h2][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/spence-djed/GQAxKWes/"]Djed Spence[/a][/h2][p]Spence emerged as an unlikely hero for [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/england/j9N9ZNFA/"]England[/a] in their run to the last four, with the versatile defender starring on both the right and left flanks during the tournament.[/p][p]Questions were asked when the 25-year-old was named in Thomas Tuchel’s squad at the expense of [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/alexander-arnold-trent/CEVJy6Bc/"]Trent Alexander-Arnold[/a], but the [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/tottenham/UDg08Ohm/"]Tottenham[/a] man stepped up to the plate to completely justify his inclusion.[/p][image alt="Spence (centre) celebrates a key tackle vs Argentina" id="2f265277-56ac-4e74-ab25-3ceedb53c5f3" credit-line="REUTERS / Agustin Marcarian" guid="9f49ed0f-6ff3-4744-953f-68e47a8db973" original-width="2611" original-height="1725" /][p]While injuries and a suspension to [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/quansah-jarell/KtIpCeFE/"]Jarell Quansah[/a] placed greater responsibility on the shoulders of Spence in the knockouts, he showed no signs of being overawed by the occasion, producing excellent all-round displays against [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/norway/8rP6JO0H/"]Norway[/a] and [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/argentina/f9OppQjp/"]Argentina[/a] - including [i]that[b] [/b][/i]tackle on [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/simeone-giuliano/IJTJu41i/"]Giuliano Simeone[/a].[/p][p][b]However, with Spurs well-stocked in defence, including World Cup winner [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/porro-pedro/nTebDzHC/"]Pedro Porro[/a] at right-back, Roberto De Zerbi could be prepared to cash in on Spence this summer.[/b][/p][p]The former [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/nottingham/UsushcZr/"]Nottingham Forest[/a] defender, who will be keen for first-team action himself, is attracting interest from [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/liverpool/lId4TMwf/"]Liverpool[/a], [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/everton/KluSTr9s/"]Everton[/a] and [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/inter/Iw7eKK25/"]Inter Milan[/a], according to reports.[/p][infobox id="4ccc1b10-d68f-4c97-bcf4-5e613c17c2e3" /][h2][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/gill-orlando/d6RBYBBD/"]Orlando Gill[/a][/h2][p]Little was known of [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/paraguay/YaNlqp6j/"]Paraguay[/a] goalkeeper Gill ahead of the tournament, with the 26-year-old having spent the last two seasons playing for [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/san-lorenzo/ju1xJoJd/"]San Lorenzo[/a] in Argentina’s Primera Division.[/p][p]However, after a disappointing opening defeat to co-hosts [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/usa/fuitL4CF/"]USA[/a] in Group D, Gill rose to prominence for his country, keeping successive clean sheets against [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/turkey/QeijuHo5/"]Turkey[/a] and [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/australia/xSrf6qMM/"]Australia[/a] to seal Paraguay’s spot in the knockouts.[/p][p][b]Gill’s stock continued to rise in the last 32, with the keeper saving penalties from [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/havertz-kai/rH8BZWiI/"]Kai Havertz[/a] and [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/woltemade-nick/4YDUd1at/"]Nick Woltemade[/a], as Los Guaranies secured a [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/game/soccer/germany-ptQide1O/paraguay-YaNlqp6j/?mid=2y2UKhp1"]historic victory[/a] over four-time former champions [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/germany/ptQide1O/"]Germany[/a].[/b][/p][image alt="Gill's rating card vs Germany" id="1978a8fa-bcb7-4025-b8ac-62e3acd558b6" credit-line="Flashscore" guid="deb1692a-753f-463e-8567-ac88928b62fd" original-width="2160" original-height="2700" /][p]The San Lorenzo man then made another four saves in Paraguay’s narrow 1-0 defeat to [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/france/QkGeVG1n/"]France[/a] in the last 16, taking his tally for the tournament up to 23 and an impressive save percentage of 78.57%.[/p][p][b]That deservedly earned Gill a spot in our World Cup Team of the Tournament - [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/news/world-cup-team-of-the-tournament-porro-cubarsi-olise-dembele-rodri-vinicius-messi-haaland-mbappe/6qKTTpam/"]check out the full side here[/a]![/b][/p][p]Manchester United are reportedly leading the race to sign the 26-year-old, with [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/aston-villa/W00wmLO0/"]Aston Villa[/a] and Nottingham Forest among the sides also interested in his signature.[/p][h2][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/kone-kouadio/YDaoYZBS/"]Manu Kone[/a][/h2][p]Despite starting the World Cup as a back-up option to [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/tchouameni-aurelien/QkiZum3e/"]Aurelien Tchouameni[/a] and [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/rabiot-adrien/l08EAP2Q/"]Adrien Rabiot[/a], Kone ended the tournament as a key figure in the French midfield.[/p][p][b]The [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/as-roma/zVqqL0ma/"]Roma[/a] man provided a combative presence for Didier Deschamps’ side, making as many as 25 ball recoveries across his five appearances, facilitating the likes of [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/olise-michael/E5pvwqkK/"]Michael Olise[/a], [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/dembele-ousmane/zsMC2Ec0/"]Ousmane Dembele[/a] and [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/mbappe-kylian/Wn6E2SED/"]Kylian Mbappe[/a] to wreak havoc in the final third.[/b][/p][p]Kone’s standout displays against Paraguay and Morocco in the knockouts made his omission from the starting line-up against [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/spain/bLyo6mco/"]Spain[/a] in the semi-finals all the more baffling - a decision that certainly backfired for Les Bleus as they [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/game/soccer/france-QkGeVG1n/spain-bLyo6mco/?mid=pU0PQ9nR"]exited the tournament[/a].[/p][image alt="Kone's stats vs Paraguay" id="fbce58e3-1c7c-43cf-ad6c-a0f21348ad2a" credit-line="IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters / Kyle Ross / Opta by StatsPerform" guid="474097e7-7c1b-4df6-9f4f-fb08ebecc2fd" original-width="1080" original-height="1080" /][p]The 25-year-old has played 82 times for Roma across the last two seasons, and is unsurprisingly being tipped for a high-profile move following his impact at the World Cup.[/p][p][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/arsenal/hA1Zm19f/"]Arsenal[/a] and Manchester United have already been heavily linked with the Frenchman, while there’s also strong Saudi interest from [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/al-hilal/hxxcePl9/"]Al Hilal[/a] and [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/al-ahli-sc/0MHmoCY0/"]Al Ahli[/a].[/p][h2][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/quinones-julian/dQkfXJPR/"]Julian Quinones[/a][/h2][p][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/mexico/O6iHcNkd/"]Mexico[/a] forward Quinones made an immediate impression at the World Cup, scoring the [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/game/soccer/mexico-O6iHcNkd/south-africa-W2ijYvlr/?mid=h4EoUB7T"]opening goal of the tournament[/a] against [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/south-africa/W2ijYvlr/"]South Africa[/a] at a raucous Azteca Stadium.[/p][p]The 29-year-old, who currently plies his trade for [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/al-qadsiah/tvQZtrTd/"]Al Qadsiah[/a] in the Saudi Pro League, netted a further three times for the El Tri during their run to the last 16, as well as registering an assist for good measure.[/p][p][b]Quinones’ all-round quality was clear to see in each of Mexico’s five matches, with his emphatic finish against [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/ecuador/8tbm8Tri/"]Ecuador[/a] in the last 32 a particular highlight.[/b][/p][embed guid="a1670a6d-9777-48ff-af5f-72f37bdadaad" url="https://x.com/eurofootcom/status/2073946343551225895" social-type="twitter" /][p]Having bagged 37 goals in just 35 games across all competitions in the 2025/26 season, interest will certainly be high in the forward this summer.[/p][p]While Quinones has yet to play in Europe during his career, there are several Premier League clubs reportedly keeping tabs on his availability, including Aston Villa and Chelsea.[/p][h2][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/news/transfer-news-live-tracker-updates/8QqUWm3n/"]Keep track of all the latest transfer news here![/a][/h2][infobox id="fa3af8d3-b7b1-4d57-95f0-50d8796bc2f0" /]