Our ridiculous XI of elite transfer targets not playing at the 2026 World Cup | OneFootball

Transfer targets for Manchester United, Barcelona and Tottenham are among those without the distraction of the World Cup this summer.

The World Cup isn’t stopping many stars from being linked with huge moves, but the focus for them, they will insist, is on their international obligations in North America.

Others, though, have the summer off, perhaps to get fixed up with a new club. Including this XI…

GK: Guglielmo Vicario

The goalkeeper is being heavily linked with a move away from Tottenham after becoming one of the poster boys for their struggles last year, thanks in part to Neville and Carragher’s obvious dislike for the Italian.

Vicario has been linked with Juventus if Emiliano Martinez proves too expensive, which he almost certainly will. Napoli are also reported to be interested but they have stoppers to sell first.

RB: Marco Palestra

Inter thought they were on their way to agreeing a deal with Atalanta for the 21-year-old full-back before Chelsea came along and blew the Nerazzurri out of the water.

Banking £43million is tidy work from Atalanta for a player with fewer than 10 Serie A appearances for them.

But it was on loan at Cagliari last season where Palestra really caught Chelsea’s eye, during which time he also made his Italy debut in the ill-fated World Cup qualification play-offs that have made him eligible for this XI.

CB: Edmond Tapsoba

Ok, we are scratching somewhat for a centre-back, but Burkina Faso defender Tapsoba qualifies because he has been linked with Chelsea.

Yes, those links are tentative in the extreme, the product of the fact that Tapsoba and Xabi Alonso worked well together at Bayer Leverkusen so the assumption is he must be on Chelsea’s radar.

But there are eyes on the 27-year-old to the point that Leverkusen have a contract extension on their list of summer priorities.

CB: Alessandro Bastoni

Bastoni has endured a torrid 2026 so far for club and especially country. Amid some domestic woes with Inter, the centre-back was sent off in Italy’s World Cup qualifying play-off defeat to Bosnia, all of which prompted ex-Inter and Azzurri defender Giuseppe Bergomi to say: “Now this guy, for his own good, will have to leave Italy.”

Liverpool, Real Madrid and Barcelona are said to be interested in giving him an escape route but Inter are reported to have slapped a £60million price tag on the 27-year-old.

LB: Alvaro Carreras

It’s been a rough summer for Carreras, who was overlooked by Spain for the World Cup before Real Madrid went and signed Marc Cucurella to play in his position just so they could say they had one representative in the national team.

It all leaves Carreras wondering where it went wrong. Jose Mourinho, evidently, doesn’t much fancy him and Real are open to selling the ex-Man Utd academy player. United have been linked but not seriously. Not yet…

CM: Adam Wharton

Wharton’s omission to allow Jordan Henderson to take his quiz nights on the road to the World Cup this summer at least leaves the Palace midfielder free to sort his future.

Though there isn’t the clamour around Wharton that many of us expected. Chelsea and Liverpool are keen, we know that, but neither have yet made a decisive move, with £75million said to be the asking price. Which sounds too good to be true…

MF: Sandro Tonali

If Newcastle are turning down £80million for Tonali, that should be the minimum figure for Wharton too.

Tonali never made it to the World Cup because… Italy. But his international woes have not dwindled the market around the Newcastle star since his agent has been hawking him everywhere since at least January.

He could be part of a very good Tottenham team next season.

MF: Mateus Fernandes

Fernandes could be teaming up with Tonali at Tottenham next season if Spurs get their way and Manchester United don’t make a decisive move for their supposed top midfield target.

The 21-year-old might be one of the most unfortunate in this XI to miss out on their nation’s World Cup squad, having made his international debut in March and followed it with some fine form, without which West Ham would have been relegated much earlier.

RW: Harry Wilson

The Wales winger is in the final week of his Fulham contract, with Wales qualification failure giving him the chance to find a new home in West Yorkshire.

Leeds were heavily linked with Wilson last season and, belatedly, they appear to have landed the 29-year-old in what could be another very astute free transfer.

LW: Jack Grealish

Injury deprived Grealish of the slim chance to make England’s World Cup squad, but we doubt Thomas Tuchel would have found room for the Everton loanee on the left given his preference for more direct, flying wingers.

Still, that gives Grealish the summer off and the opportunity between pool parties to sort his future. Which almost certainly isn’t at Manchester City. Most likely, he’ll be back at Everton on loan again.

CF: Serhou Guirassy

The striker is perhaps the biggest Bundesliga name absent from the World Cup, though Guinea were well short in qualifying, making the Dortmund striker’s absence no surprise.

His 60-goal haul in 96 games since joining Dortmund from Stuttgart, though, has given him another focus this summer, with AC Milan and Juventus among the clubs eyeing the 30-year-old.