Last January, we seen Canadian internationals make some really smart career moves. Alistair Johnston, (Celtic) Ismaël Koné (Watford) and Derek Cornelius (Malmö) have all greatly benefited from a move, and now naturally the question is who will get a move this summer? This isn’t to say these players will move, rather these players could potentially benefit from a move.
Jonathan David – Lille
Perhaps the most obvious inclusion – it’s felt like a running joke now for about eighteen months that every time there’s a transfer window, Johnathan David is linked with a big move only to still be with 2021 Ligue 1 champions Lille. David has fifty-four goals for Lille since 2020 and has only gotten more clinical with each passing season. So far this campaign, David has twenty league goals for Lille – just behind Kylian Mbappé in Ligue 1 overall this year, and has twenty-one goals in thirty-four appearances this season.
David has been linked with a number of big clubs, including Arsenal, AC Milan, Manchester United, Bayern Munich, and RB Leipzig. It is clear that should David move, it will be for an astronomical fee with how in demand he is. Lille has been good for him, but for him and Canada – it’s best for him to move on to an elite club, and continue his development whilst competing regularly in the Uefa Champions League and for trophies.
Tajon Buchanan – Club Brugge
Brugge has been very good for Tajon Buchanan. He made a big impact in the latter half of last season to help his new side win the Belgian First Division and in the champions league this year, he was a huge performer for a Brugge side that defied all expectations to finish first in their group ahead of Atlético Madrid, Bayern Leverkusen and Porto. Not only because of his attacking play but also for his defensive performances.
This ability to perform going forward and back has seen him become a potential wing-back option for many big clubs, most notably Inter Milan who are expected to need a replacement for Denzel Dumfries this summer. Assuming Buchanan moves to Milan, it would be a huge step up into a top European league and a real testament to how far Buchanan has come. The thought of Canada potentially having an elite top-5 league left winger (Davies), right winger (Buchanan), and striker (David) is genuinely the stuff of dreams!
Cyle Larin – Club Brugge (On loan at Real Valladolid)
Admittedly this is a bit of a cheat choice. Nothing went right for Larin in Brugge, almost immediately after he was signed Bruuge went out and bought Ukrainian striker Roman Yaremchuk for $23 Million Canadian Dollars. Larin has made just one league start for Brugge before moving to struggling Spanish La Liga side Real Vallodolid.
It’s been a match made in heaven since. Larin has five goals and two assists in just ten games for Blanquivioletas, propelling the team away from the relegation zone. Valladolid has an option to buy Larin at the end of the season. An outcome that would likely have Bruuge, Valladolid and Ladin all win. Having a confident, goalscoring Larin in a top five league will be a huge benefit to Canada going forward.
S. 2 Ep. 13 – The Final Is Set – FC13 Podcast
Scott Kennedy – Jahn Regensburg
Somewhat of a forgotten man before the March international window, Scott Kennedy took his chance against Curaçao and Honduras to remind us all just how useful he is to John Herdman’s side, especially as the left sided defender in a back three.
Kennedy has been applying his trade for obscure German second tier side Jahn Regensburg since 2020, and although he has played against big German names such as Hamburg, Hannover, Schalke and Werder Bremen, there’s only so far he can develop as a player at Regensburg. Kennedy is 26 now, and needs to make a step up into a league where he’ll at least be playing top flight football, especially if Regensburg are relegated, which could happen this season.
Joel Waterman – CF Montreal
Heading into the World Cup, Joel Waterman was seen as the Canadian soccer pyramid poster child. From U Sports to CPL to MLS to World Cup, his rise was quick and it seemed like the trajectory was only going up! Waterman was linked with moves to Europe in the winter but instead extended his contract with CF Montreal
Since then, Montreal can be best described as being a disaster to start the season, and are the clear worst team in the league. Waterman wasn’t included in the latest international squad, and with the likes of Miller, Zator, Heibert, Cornelius, Kennedy, and Vitória all gunning for a spot at centre-back – Waterman can’t afford to be left behind in a mediocre Montreal side.
Alphonso Davies – Bayern Munich
Yes, you read that correctly. Davies has accomplished more at Bayern in just five seasons than any other Canadian has in Europe. At the time of writing, Davies has won four Bundesliga titles, two DFB-Pokals, one Champions League, and one Club World Cup. At a personal level, he has been long regarded as one the best left-backs in the world, if not the best left-back in the world.
His exceptional talent means that he will always be linked with the biggest clubs in the world (in which Bayern also are). Manchester City has been linked with Davies as of late, and that hypothetical move would be fantastic for him. Guardiola is the best club manager in the world and has the potential to take Davies’ game to an even further level! Recently instability at Bayern is also a consideration, four managers in less than seasons and they’re on track to potentially lose their grip on the German title. Davies doesn’t need to leave Bayern, but a move to Manchester City would give him unlimited potential going into 2026!
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