Nick Mashiter – Football reporter
Wed, June 24, 2026 at 8:25 AM UTC
It’s the ultimate shop window: a World Cup with 48 teams – all packed with players eager to show what they can do on the biggest stage.
With the transfer window now open, BBC Sport journalists have been taking a look at some of the key names being discussed.
Aston Villa want a pacy winger, a striker, a midfielder and a right-back capable of providing cover for Ezri Konsa at centre-back. A goalkeeper is also on the agenda should Argentina’s Emi Martinez leave.
Belgium’s young World Cup player Matias Fernandez-Pardo has been linked, with the 21-year-old able to play wide or through the middle up front.