A flurry of pre-deadline moves sees CanMNT faces in new places

Cyle Larin - Feyenoord

Published Sep 02, 2025 at 12:05 PM ET

The summer transfer window for most of Europe has now closed and a number of Canadians were on the move.

Note the caveat of "most of Europe" because the window is not shut everywhere. The Netherlands is still open for business for one more day - more on that later - and the Turkish window remains open until Sept. 12. The Portuguese window is open latest of all with teams still able to do business until Sept. 15. Outside of the continent, the Saudi window is still open all the way until Sept. 23 meaning that teams can still try to cash in on lucrative transfers to the Pro League (Raheem Sterling, come on down) for another few weeks.

With a whirlwind of action already behind us and one more move expected to come today, let's take a look back at the Canadian faces in new places this summer.

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Theo Bair (Lausanne-Sport on loan from Auxerre)

Ottawa's Theo Bair joined Swiss Super League side Lausanne-Sport on loan from Auxerre on Monday. The 26-year-old forward signed for the Ligue 1 side last summer after three seasons in Scotland. In his final season in 2023-2024 at Motherwell, Vancouver Whitecaps academy product was a goals machine, notching 15 Premiership goals in 38 appearances. Bair wasn't able to replicate that form in France last season, scoring just twice in 29 league appearances. The move to Switzerland will be a welcome one for Bair's World Cup prospects as he will undoubtedly see more game time than he would in Ligue 1. Bair has been handed the No. 9 jersey indicating that Lausanne-Sport expects big things from him. Capped five times by Canada since his senior debut in 2020, Bair has a single international goal. He will, perhaps, have the opportunity to increase that tally during the upcoming window as he has been called into Canada camp for friendlies against Romania and Wales.

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Derek Cornelius (Rangers, on loan from Marseille)

As the new European season dawned, Derek Cornelius was a player who many Canada observers had their eye on when it comes to who needs a big campaign ahead of the World Cup. On a Marseille team that finished runners-up to Paris Saint-Germain last season and earned a Champions League berth, consistent playing time was an uncertainty for the 27-year-old centre-back. Considering the importance of the position to Canada's World Cup ambitions, having a potential starter seeing sporadic minutes was far from ideal, so a loan away from a volatile OM side was in the player's best interests. Cornelius got the move on Monday, heading to Glasgow to join Rangers. "His experience and leadership will be vital in enhancing our backline whilst adding a left-sided defender adds further balance to the squad," Rangers manager Russell Martin said in a statement. “He featured heavily in a top league last season, highlighting his qualities, and we are confident he will shine further in a Rangers jersey." Stating the obvious, the Premiership represents a step down in competition from Ligue 1, but Cornelius joins a Gers side with title aspirations and looks to play a key role this season for the team. That can only help him further ensconce himself in Canada manager Jesse Marsch's plans. And for Canada fans, the prospect of seeing Cornelius go head to head against Celtic's Alistair Johnston, once the right-back returns from injury, in an Old Firm derby is a fun one.

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Tani Oluwaseyi (Villarreal)

European interest in Tani Oluwaseyi was inevitable after the kind of campaign the Nigeria-born, Mississauga, Ont.-raised Tani Oluwaseyi was having in Major League Soccer with Minnesota United. The St. John's product had emerged as one of the most complete attacking talents in the league. In 24 games in 2025, Oluwaseyi scored 10 goals and added seven assists for the Loons as they chase a Supporters' Shield. His MLS season ended last week, though, when Villarreal came calling and Oluwaseyi was sold to the La Liga side in a deal worth just under $12 million CAD. Obviously, the Loons would have loved to keep Oluwaseyi for the remainder of the season, but the deal was too good to pass up for both club and player. In joining the Yellow Submarine, Oluwaseyi now suits up alongside fellow Canada attacker Tajon Buchanan. The Brampton, Ont. winger signed for the team on a permanent transfer from Inter last month after spending the second half of last season on loan at El Madrigal. Oluwaseyi saw his first action in Spain on Sunday in a 1-1 draw with Celta Vigo. He came on for Karl Etta in the 77th and saw out the rest of the match.

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Jamie Knight-Lebel (Swindon Town, on loan from Bristol City)

Montreal's Jamie Knight-Lebel is returning to League Two. The 20-year-old centre-back joined Swindon Town on loan from Bristol City on Monday. He made 33 appearances for Crewe Alexandra in the same competition last season on loan. "Having played in this league last year, I’m eager to build on that experience and keep developing into a more complete player," Knight-Lebel said in a statement. "I know how much [Robins midfielder] Scott Twine enjoyed his time at Swindon, and hearing such positive things about the club has made me even more eager to get started. I’ll always give 100 per cent for the fans and the badge, and I’m looking forward to helping deliver a season we can all remember." Like for so many of his Canada teammates, playing time ahead of the World Cup will be so crucial this season for Knight-Lebel, especially as a player who Marsch is clearly intrigued by and to whom he appears open to offer opportunities that might normally be reserved for players of a higher level of experience. After a terrible start to last season that saw the team dead last at Christmas before a turnaround in early 2025 that kept them safe, Ian Holloway's side will hope to ensure nothing like that happens again this season.

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Dieu-Merci Michel (Uniao de Leiria, on loan from Vitoria de Guimaraes)

Dieu-Merci Michel is a name you might not recognize and that's understandable. The 21-year-old Montreal-born, Alberta-raised striker has not played for Canada at any level as of yet, but his profile is certainly an intriguing one for Jesse Marsch and co. At 6-foot-3, Michel is a big-bodied striker with flair, who certainly still needs refinement and consistent playing time to keep evolving his game. He will spend the season on loan at Liga Portugal 2 side Uniao de Leiria from Vitoria, with whom he signed back in 2022. "I'm very happy to be here," Michel said in a statement on Monday. "This season in Leiria, I hope to score several goals and help the team achieve its objectives. Unionistas, I'm looking forward to meeting you... let's go all out." World Cup 2026 might be too ambitious a target for Michel considering his inexperience and the depth in front of him at Canada's disposal, but his goal for this season will be regular minutes and finding the net. Michel was called into the Canada camp ahead of last summer's Copa America, so he's already on Marsch's radar. It's now a matter of becoming undeniable.

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Cyle Larin (Feyenoord, on loan from Mallorca)

After essentially being frozen out of the Mallorca squad, Cyle Larin has joined Dutch giants Feyenoord on loan. As previously mentioned, with the Eredivisie window open an extra day, this deal was completed on Tuesday and not Monday. Few players in the Canada squad's place is threatened like Larin's is right now. With the likes of Tani Oluwaseyi and Promise David breathing down his neck for a starting role alongside Juventus's Jonathan David up front, the Brampton, Ont. native desperately needed a move away. Now in Rotterdam, Larin will play under a manager who knows a thing or two about scoring in Arsenal and Manchester United legend Robin van Persie. "I know the history of Feyenoord, the passion of the supporters and the fact that the club always wants to compete for the prizes," Larin said in a statement. "That fits with who I am, and I am looking forward to playing for Feyenoord and working with coach Robin van Persie. He is a striker, just like me, and his presence convinced me to come to Rotterdam. I can learn a lot from him. Of course I played football in various places and gained a lot of experience. But my goal is the same everywhere: scoring goals and winning championships. That’s not easy, so as a team and club, you have to work hard every day to achieve success. I can’t wait to get started."

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