10 CanMNT players who could be on the move this summer
With many of the European domestic campaigns wrapping up over the next few days, the attention will slowly shift from on the pitch to off it, as the start of the transfer window rapidly approaches.
After a big season for several CanMNT players abroad, it promises to be a busy summer of activity, too, and for good reason.
Headlined by a coveted free agent, a breakout forward and several other promised youngsters, this has the potential to be one of the busiest summers yet in terms of Canadian transfers.
Especially with the 2026 World Cup around the corner, players will be keeping that at the top of their minds, as they know that the next 12 months will play a big role in what that tournament could look like for them.
For players on the fringes of the team, the right move could vault them into that squad; for those already locked in the squad, a smart transfer could vault them into bigger roles in Jesse Marsch’s team; and even the stars could stand to benefit from changing scenery.
On the flipside, these moves could also come at a risk - a player can find themselves in the wrong situation, and their stock can quickly plummet.
Yet, that’s why this summer is so intriguing from a Canadian perspective. After a landmark 2024, this CanMNT appears to be in a better place than ever, and a big reason for that was the moves that some players made last summer, such as Moïse Bombito, Derek Cornelius and others.
Now, who will look to make similar, career-altering moves? Here are 10 CanMNT players who could find themselves at new clubs this summer.
Jonathan David:
Naturally, David’s future remains a huge story in Canadian soccer, as he enters the summer as one of the hottest free agents in the world following a five-year stint at Lille. After a 27-goal, 12-assist 2024-2025 campaign that included an impressive nine goals in 14 UEFA Champions League qualifying, group stage and knockout matches, there will be many teams fighting to get him on a free transfer, and for good reason.
Jonathan David can't stop scoring against European giants in the Champions League.
— Ben Steiner (@BenSteiner00) January 21, 2025
Hopefully, it's only a matter of time until he joins one of them, too.
Goal today v Liverpool after scoring v Atletico Madrid, Real Madrid and Juventus. pic.twitter.com/b71kJ7fQTZ
Now, the big question will be where he lands. As one would expect, he’s had no shortage of suitors, as many of Europe’s elite have expressed interest - Liverpool, Aston Villa, Arsenal, Tottenham, Juventus, Napoli, Barcelona and Bayern Munich are just some of the clubs that he's been linked to.
Given his ability to both score and create as a striker, having scored 109 goals and added 30 assists at Lille, 37 goals and 15 assists at KAA Gent, and 32 goals and 19 assists for the CanMNT, he’ll fit on many teams, so it’ll come down to fit, style of play, league, and salary.
At first glance, Liverpool looks like a fun fit, while Juventus could be an interesting move, and Barcelona could be quite the splash - in particular, the last option is worth noting given that David has long been an admirer of the club.
Promise David:
A year ago, Promise David was lighting up the Estonian league, catching the eye of several teams with his exploits. Eventually, he signed with Belgian side Union St-Gilloise, and it’s proven to be a stroke of genius, as he scored 24 goals and added five assists in all competitions, including eight goals in the Jupiler Pro League Championship Round, helping USG win their first league title since 1935.
As a result, he’s attracted interest from clubs in the top five leagues, including Premier League sides Brighton and Leeds, as well as Ligue 1 sides Lille and Paris FC, which is exciting given USG’s history of moving young players on, with strikers Deniz Undav and Victor Boniface being examples of what that looks like. In particular, Lille would be a fun move for Promise David - he’d follow in Jonathan David’s steps of making the jump from Belgium to France, making him a perfect replacement for the other CanMNT David.
No doubt, however, is that David is going to be a hot commodity given the season he’s had and the profile of striker that he is, as he’s a 6’5” physical force with great technical skill, which will have several clubs quite excited to bring him in.
12 months ago, Promise David was racking up the goals in 🇪🇪
— Alexandre Gangué-Ruzic (@AlexGangueRuzic) May 25, 2025
Today, he scored a brace to secure Union St-Gilloise's 1st Belgian title since 1935 (and a #UCL spot!)
What a rise - lots still to come for the 23 y/o with club and the #CanMNT, toopic.twitter.com/quyAFYKGDq
Cyle Larin:
After two up-and-down seasons at Mallorca, in which he’s scored 14 goals and added five assists, Cyle Larin could be on the move, as per reports out of Spain, Given that he’s facing stiff competition for his starting spot with Canada from the likes of Promise David and Tani Oluwaseyi, a move makes sense for Larin, who has scored just twice in his last 20 CanMNT appearances.
Having just turned 30, he faces a big decision, however - does he stay in Europe, or does he return to MLS? Both could make sense for him - but the big thing will be for him to find a place where he can start pouring in the goals at the club level, which should hopefully get his confidence back and help him find form ahead of the World Cup.
For what it’s worth, there should be MLS teams who are willing to bring him in as a Designated Player, so a decision may come down to the kind of offers he receives from European clubs, although they’ll need to put in a fair offer with Larin under contract at Mallorca until 2028. 
Tajon Buchanan:
What was supposed to be a breakout 2024-2025 with Inter Milan ended up being halted before it even started for Buchanan, after he got injured in a Canadian training session at last year’s Copa América.
As a result, he was sent out on loan in January after making just seven appearances for Inter following his return from injury in November, joining Villarreal, where he had one goal and two assists in 13 appearances as he helped the club qualify for the 2025-2026 UEFA Champions League with a fifth place La Liga finish.
After a challenging six months -recovering from a broken leg, few opportunities at Inter, loaned to Villarreal, dealing with ankle issues -Tajon Buchanan might've just scored the winner against La Liga champions Barcelona. Big moment for the Brampton-native @TSN_Sports @TSNSoccer https://t.co/9ulw5Zycb5
— Matthew Scianitti (@TSNScianitti) May 18, 2025
At this moment, it’s hard to imagine Buchanan sticking at Inter given how deep they are (although you can never say never given that he has a contract until 2028), so it remains to be seen whether Villarreal bring him in, as they do have a purchase option, and could otherwise negotiate for his services as they bolster their squad for next year’s Champions League. Otherwise, Buchanan’s improved form in Spain should make him a wanted commodity - Roma, Torino, and Ajax were all after him in January, when he was still finding his feet after his injury, so it’d make sense for that list to grow this summer.
Ismaël Koné:
It was a turbulent year for Koné, who made a 12 million euros move from Watford to Marseille last summer, signing a five-year contract, yet was loaned to fellow Ligue 1 side Stade Rennais in January after making just nine appearances for Marseille as he battled injuries and inconsistency.
He finished the year strongly with Rennes, however, who themselves had a big January move after a slow start to the year, so he’ll hope that they find a way to make that move permanent, having scored two goals (including a banger against Marseille) and chipping in with one assist in 13 appearances with the club.
Ismaël Koné is taking on Marseille today... 👀
— OneSoccer (@onesoccer) May 17, 2025
...let's see how the #CanMNT star is doin– OH MY WORD 🚀
🎥 @beINSPORTS_EN pic.twitter.com/MtNjkci85O
If not, there was interest for Koné in Germany and Spain in January, so he’ll have options, although Rennes is attractive given their history of developing youngsters, as it’s easy to forget that Koné was a late bloomer who quickly rose to this level. Because of that, it could do him a world of good to find stability at a club that has developed the likes of Eduardo Camavinga, Desiré Doué, Ismaila Sarr and many more, especially given that it’ll be hard to imagine him remaining at Marseille long-term.
Dayne St.Clair:
After a big 2024, where he was one of the best goalkeepers in MLS, Dayne St.Clair has continued his strong form in 2025, helping Minnesota United become one of the top defensive teams in MLS.
Now, however, the 28-year-old faces a potential crossroads, as his contract is up at the end of 2025, and there are no options on his deal. Of course, it wouldn’t be surprising to see him re-sign, given his connection to Minnesota and his strong performance, as it could be a big risk to be making a January move ahead of the World Cup, having become Jesse Marsch’s #1 goalkeeper for the CanMNT in recent months.
A respectable ball by the home side, but a dignified save by Dayne St. Clair pic.twitter.com/4NCGPDjB6e
— Minnesota United FC (@MNUFC) May 15, 2025
Yet, that’s why this summer could be key. With his deal expiring, Minnesota could be forced to blink if an offer comes in from Europe, knowing that St.Clair could leave for free at the end of the year. Assuming the offer comes from a club in a top 10 European league needing a goalkeeper, it’ll be something for him to consider, as his CanMNT stock would improve at a top Belgian or Dutch club, or in a mid-table French team, for example.
Mathieu Choinière:
When looking at players in MLS who want to make a move to Europe, Choinière is a cautionary tale. Having decided to join Swiss club Grasshopper Club Zurich last year, his move started well, quickly becoming a starter, but then the season descended into chaos, as he got injured and his team battled relegation, leading to a coaching change.
As a result, he’s only played 826 minutes (as of writing), which is less than ideal for someone who had blossomed into an MLS all-star and CanMNT regular at hometown club CF Montréal. Already, there were questions about whether this Grasshopper move was a step up, with the big upside coming from it being a good stepping stone spot, but it’s harder to make an upward move after a tough season like this one.
The good news? His resume should be strong enough for him to find a good move should he decide he needs a fresh start from Grasshopper, as he’ll attract interest back in MLS, and he perhaps could find another club in another similar league, such as the Belgian circuit.
He should be a lock for the World Cup squad given his profile and Canada’s lack of midfield depth, but he’ll have to know that the right move could make him a starter, especially due to his fit in Marsch’s system and his set-piece ability. 
Ali Ahmed:
It’s been a breakout year for Ahmed with the Vancouver Whitecaps, as he has one goal and six assists already in 2025, helping push the team to first place in MLS and their first-ever Concacaf Champions Cup final.
A player who has long attracted European interest from clubs in the top five leagues due to the complete nature of his game, the one knock on him has been his end product - given that he’s already set a career-high for goal contributions, he’s done well to step up in that area in 2025, however.
GOAL 🏔️🏔️
— OneSoccer (@onesoccer) May 21, 2025
Ali Ahmed scores his first goal of 2025 to tie things up for @WhitecapsFC in this TELUS #CanChamp quarter-final vs. Valour FC 🍁
🔴 Watch LIVE on OneSoccer pic.twitter.com/2qIR7bQkyY
Now, given the Whitecaps' success, he might be hesitant to leave ahead of the World Cup, but with a contract that expires at the end of 2025, with only one option year in 2026, the Whitecaps will know that the window to cash in on the 24-year-old is narrow, especially given his recent breakout. Because of that, if the right offer comes in from a Ligue 1 or Bundesliga club, which would be an excellent fit for Ahmed, it might be hard for them to ignore.
Jacen Russell-Rowe:
It’s taken a while, but it feels like Jacen Russell-Rowe has finally carved out a role as a key Columbus Crew starter after the departure of Cucho Hernández, having previously bounced between being a supersub and rotational starter in 2023 and 2024. That he already has six goals and one assist in just under 1200 minutes is a key sign, as he’s well on his way to beating the eight goals he scored in 2024.
Still just 22 years of age, he seems likely to head to Europe sooner rather than later, as the Crew already fielded an offer from a Scottish club last summer. With his contract up at the end of 2025, with an option for 2026, he finds himself in that zone where the Crew might consider selling him at the right price, not to lose him for a free transfer.
Switch the field 😮💨
— Major League Soccer (@MLS) May 4, 2025
Russell-Rowe finds a fourth for Columbus. pic.twitter.com/y8iZ87Z4E5
For what it’s worth, the Crew have done a good job of selling on players like Hernández and Aidan Morris in recent years, so they will play ball if needed. Now, the big question will be Russell-Rowe’s potential destination - while Scottish teams have been interested, he could look to the EFL Championship as an option, while the Belgian and Dutch leagues stand out given his technical profile - he could also join the flood of Canadians heading to Ligue 1, too.
Niko Sigur:
Having wrapped up his second full season at Hajduk Split, Sigur played a key role in their campaign once again, serving as Gennaro Gattuso’s Swiss-Army knife, slotting in as a full back, midfielder, winger and wing back.
Now, with 79 first-team appearances under his belt at the club, one can wonder if the 21-year-old has done enough to earn a move to a top-five league, which regularly happens for top young talents in the Croatian League. Ultimately, he feels like a player with the potential to one day play for a Champions League contender, as he has the skills to do well in Serie A, the Bundesliga or the Premier League, for example.
Checking in for the first time in #CanadaRed, Niko Sigur! #CANMNT #CANMEX pic.twitter.com/nhdrw9tiM8
— CANMNT (@CANMNT_Official) September 11, 2024
Tied up on a long-term deal until 2028, however, there is no rush for Hajduk Split to move him unless a big offer comes along - because of that, his best avenue towards the top five leagues might be to have a big 2025-2026 and then a good World Cup for Canada - but his potential could push a team to sign him early before a big breakout happens.
