Admit it — we’ve all been swept up by the excitement of the World Cup, even if we thought we wouldn’t be.
The group stage of the 2026 tournament has wrapped up, with the usual powerhouses — France, Spain, Argentina, and of course, England — all making it through. It was quite straightforward for them, though try telling that to Uruguay, who have already been eliminated, or to Scotland, South Korea, and Turkey, who also bowed out early.
Amidst all the football fever across North America, the summer transfer window quietly opened in the background.
Some major deals have understandably grabbed headlines — Anthony Gordon joining Barcelona, Marc Cucurella moving to Real Madrid, and Jan Paul van Hecke heading to Tottenham Hotspur.
But there have been several other transfers that might have flown under the radar. Here are 13 more moves you may not have noticed since the World Cup kicked off.
Starting in the Premier League — Brighton & Hove Albion have secured the signing of Costinha from Olympiacos for £11 million.
The 26-year-old right-back has been described by the club as having “defensive reliability, energy down the right flank, and growing influence in possession.” He’s expected to serve as Joel Veltman’s replacement following the Dutchman’s contract expiry at the end of last season.
Another quick deal came when news broke of Martin Dubravka’s move to Tottenham Hotspur on a Wednesday morning — by evening, the club had confirmed his arrival on a free transfer. The 37-year-old, who brings experience from stints at Newcastle United, Manchester United, and Burnley, will take up a backup goalkeeper role at Spurs.
Elsewhere in Spain, Mallorca have lost their top striker. After finishing as the second-highest scorer in La Liga last season, Vedat Muriqi has returned to Fenerbahce following Mallorca’s relegation. The 32-year-old Kosovo international previously netted 17 goals in 36 appearances for the Turkish giants during the 2019–20 season before enduring a disappointing spell with Lazio, and then reviving his career in the Balearic Islands.
In Germany, Afonso Bastardo Moreira — yes, that’s his full name — has become Bayer Leverkusen’s biggest signing of the summer, costing up to €33.6 million. The Portugal U21 winger, a product of the Sporting CP academy, scored eight goals in his only season with Lyon before sealing this move to the Bundesliga champions.
Meanwhile, Strasbourg have secured the services of 20-year-old midfielder Sousa from Vitoria Guimaraes. Given Strasbourg’s ownership ties, Chelsea supporters might want to keep tabs on him for the future.
In Greece, goalkeeper Inaki Pena has completed a move to Panathinaikos on a three-year contract. The 25-year-old spent last season on loan at Elche from Barcelona, where he had made 45 first-team appearances prior to the move.
Remember Michael Cuisance? The French midfielder, who once failed a medical ahead of a proposed move to Leeds United back in 2020, has now returned to France. Formerly with Bayern Munich, Venezia, and Hertha BSC, the 26-year-old has joined Lens on a four-year deal. It marks his first return to Ligue 1 since his loan spell at Marseille during the 2020–21 campaign.
Julien Biancone, one of Nottingham Forest’s many signings upon their Premier League return, has also found a new home. Following a move to Olympiacos in 2023, the French defender has now become Anderlecht’s first signing of the summer window.
Back in England, former Arsenal academy graduate and Leeds United midfielder Sam Greenwood has joined Bristol City after a season in Poland with Pogon Szczecin. He reunites with his former Leeds U21 coach, Michael Skubala, at Ashton Gate.
Over in Spain, Racing Santander have celebrated their promotion back to La Liga after 14 years by re-signing their academy product, Sergio Canales. The 35-year-old attacking midfielder left the club as a teenager in 2010 and has since represented Real Madrid, Valencia, Real Sociedad, and Real Betis, before spending three years with Monterrey in Mexico. He now returns to Santander, where he previously scored seven goals in 39 appearances.
Similarly, Andre Silva has made a sentimental return to Porto, the club where he began his career. The striker scored 24 goals in 58 matches in his first spell before leaving for AC Milan in 2017. After mixed spells in Germany and Spain — including a productive stint at Eintracht Frankfurt — Silva found form again at Elche last season, scoring 10 goals. Now 30, he rejoins Porto to lead their attack once more.
In the Netherlands, Wout Weghorst, formerly of Burnley and Manchester United, has completed a move from Ajax to FC Twente while representing the Netherlands at the World Cup. Despite never having played for Twente before, it’s something of a homecoming for the striker, who hails from the local region. After averaging 10 goals per season for Ajax over the past two years, he’s signed a two-year deal with Twente — whose technical director, incidentally, is Erik ten Hag.
In Cyprus, former Rangers defender Connor Goldson has switched from Aris Limassol to their local rivals Apollon Limassol. “Always preferred blue,” he joked, referencing his new club’s colours. The 33-year-old explained, “My family is happy in Limassol and I wanted to stay here. At the same time, I’ve followed the club’s progress recently under the new coach, and it excited me. There were other offers, but in the end, my family and I chose Apollon.”
And finally — yes, that Ronaldinho. At 46, more than a decade since retiring from professional football, the Brazilian legend and former Ballon d’Or winner has signed for Serie C club Ravenna. The move, part of an ambitious project spearheaded by club president Ignazio Cipriani, will see Ronaldinho play while also taking on a boardroom role. “I cannot wait to dance with the ball,” he said. “Football has always been about joy for me, and I’m excited to bring that spirit to Ravenna. Let the magic begin!”
We’ll certainly be keeping an eye on that one.
