It's been a busy offseason for the Socceroos, with 11 members of Tony Popovic's squad at the 2026 FIFA World Cup highlighting a flurry of moves made by Australian players. Elsewhere, there are stars getting set for another season in familiar surroundings or returning from loan moves eager to establish themselves properly in their ostensible homes.
Every player eligible, no doubt, will be hoping to do enough to earn an opportunity to represent Australia, especially at January's AFC Asian Cup. And with four years until the next World Cup rolls around, every player has a light on the hill to strive for.
In the great spirit of the Aussie backpacker, players have spread themselves far and wide for the upcoming season. Some have found homes in the biggest leagues in the world, while others head off the beaten track. Even a war zone hasn't kept one player away.
So, to help you keep tabs on things, ESPN has assembled a list of senior players -- which means players such as Marcus Neill at Sunderland don't feature -- plying their trade abroad. Some are current members of the Socceroos, while others have been in the past, and more that harbour ambitions of one day earning that title.
Invariably, some players won't feature. Either because there has to be a cut-off at some point or because they simply haven't emerged yet -- nobody would have guessed that Patrick Beach or Lucas Herrington would be where they are right now at this point back in 2022, after all.
Leagues have been listed as per their place on the most recent league rankings published by Opta, with players within those sorted alphabetically. To help contextualise these rankings, at time of writing, Opta ranked the A-League Men as the 73rd strongest league in the world, between the Colombian and Mexican second tiers.
Further, players who are eligible for Australia but who are currently representing another nation aren't profiled, but a list of names to keep an eye on is included at the bottom of the list.
English Premier League
Lucas Herrington, Hull City: Herrington has settled into life at Hull incredibly well and, given his meteoric rise from A-League Men to MLS to the Premier League in less than 12 months, he's one of Australian football's most exciting stories.
German Bundesliga
Paul Okon-Engstler, FC Cologne: After a year of senior football at Sydney FC, Okon-Engstler has settled in well in the German top flight and is positioning himself to become a Socceroos midfield mainstay for the coming decade.
Spanish LaLiga
Mathew Ryan, Levante: Ryan took a back seat to Beach during the World Cup but has picked up right where he left off as Levante's first-choice and looks like he'll once again be key in the Granotes' hopes of remaining in LaLiga.
Italian Serie A
Sebastian Esposito, Lecce: Spent last season on loan at Melbourne Victory getting important senior minutes, and now returns to Italy looking to secure similar and much-needed minutes in Europe -- be it with the Giallorossi or on loan.
Cristian Volpato, Sassuolo: Now locked into the green-and-gold, Volpato looks set for a long future as part of the Socceroos' attack (if he stays healthy ... and behaves), and will be looking to take the next step by becoming a week-in and week-out Serie A starter in 2026-27.
French Ligue 1
Patrick Beach, Troyes: The Socceroos' surprise No. 1 at the World Cup, Beach completed his long-planned move from Melbourne City to Troyes in the offseason, and his regular minutes early in the season bode well for his ongoing development.
Belgian Pro League
Ryan Teague, KV Mechelen: Teague is still just 24-years-old, but he didn't set the world on fire during his loan spell at Melbourne City last season and hasn't seen much of the field with Mechelen during his time in Belgium. He potentially faces a make-or-break year for both his European and international ambitions.
Portuguese Primeira Liga
Alessandro Circati, Benfica: After completing a move to Portugal late in the transfer window, Circati has been bedding himself down in Lisbon but should eventually force his way into Benfica's XI regularly -- especially with the amount of football As Águias will play this season.
Nestory Irankunda, Sporting CP: Irankunda has been coming off the bench since landing at Sporting, and while Australian football would no doubt rather he be starting, being able to grow in one of the world's elite developmental environments, build his fitness, and gradually earn more minutes is a good spot for the 20-year-old attacker at this point of his journey.
English Championship
Kealey Adamson, Queens Park Rangers: Adamson has been a regular member of QPR's matchday squads early in the Championship season and could find himself pushing for right wingback minutes with the Socceroos if he can use that as a platform for consistent football in 2026-27.
Cameron Burgess, Swansea City: After playing every minute of every game for the Swans in 2025-26, Burgess suffered a devastating Achilles injury in August and will spend an extended time on the sidelines.
Callum Elder, Lincoln City: The Imps' first signing upon securing promotion to the Championship, Elder has had absolutely no luck with injuries during his career but consistently plays at a good club level. He's played both on the left and centrally for Lincoln boss Tom Shaw this season.
Jacob Farrell, Portsmouth: After he spent the back end of last season on loan at Western Sydney Wanderers, Portsmouth indicated they were willing to listen to offers for Farrell during the offseason but, for now, he remains on the South Coast. Really needs to find somewhere he can play regularly and properly make a home so he can get his development back on track.
Joe Gauci, Lincoln City (on loan from Aston Villa): The Imps represent a higher level than the inauspicious Port Vale loan that Gauci had last season, but he's been backing up former England youth international George Wickens at the Sincil Bank Stadium, who is both two years younger than the Australian and contracted to the side. In the short-term, one can only assume that's not promising for Gauci's Socceroos hopes.
Riley McGree, Middlesbrough: The song remains the same for McGree. When he's fit, he's one of both Boro and the Socceroos' best attacking threats and key to their hopes of success. But he's battled injury so often in recent years that neither can really afford to bank on that possibility.
Lewis Miller, Blackburn Rovers: Miller would have been a slam-dunk selection for the Socceroos for the World Cup had he not injured his Achilles with Rovers but, after suffering the injury last February, he should hopefully be nearing a return to football in the months ahead.
Alex Robertson, Cardiff City: Robertson has all the tools and has remained an ever-present part of Cardiff's XIs after their promotion to the Championship, which leads one to assume the 23-year-old is set to take the next leap in his development and get his next chance in green-and-gold sooner rather than later.
Mohamed Touré, Norwich City: Touré has been scoring goals for fun since joining the Canaries last January, with manager Philippe Clement seemingly knowing how to get the absolute best out of the 22-year-old while hiding his weaknesses. Being able to do so for the Socceroos looms as key for Popovic heading into the Asian Cup.
Nicholas Bilokapic, Derby County: Following a brief stint playing with the youth sides of Ipswich Town, Bilokapic signed as a free agent at Pride Park in early September, with the club saying the 24-year-old keeper would add "depth and experience."
Thomas Waddingham, Portsmouth: Waddingham has had a torrid time with injury since landing in England, most recently requiring ankle surgery after being brought down by a heavy Ollie Scarles challenge in the League Cup. Nonetheless, Pompey boss John Mousinho has said he believes Waddingham has a bright future at Fratton Park.
Polish Ekstraklasa
Deni Juric, Wisla Plock: Juric made his debut for the Socceroos during the send-off series in March, only to then miss out on a call-up to the extended training camp three months later. His efforts to start the new Polish campaign have gotten off to a slow start, with the 29-year-old working his way back from injury.
Danish Superliga
Paul Izzo, Randers FC: Izzo was relegated to the bench at the start of Randers' new campaign as he pursued a move that eventually collapsed. However, a recent injury to Jannich Storch has allowed him to don the gloves once more and, Australians will hope, lock down that No. 1 role again.
Oliver Jones, Randers FC: The former Macarthur FC defender has logged just four senior appearances since joining in January of 2025, but two of those came in recent weeks, hopefully auguring signs of progress.
Marcus Younis, Brøndby IF: After his electric end to the 2026-27 A-League Men campaign on loan at Melbourne City, Younis has started every game of the new Danish season for Drengene Fra Vestegnen. If he's able to keep that up, he'll go a long way towards meeting Popovic's expectations of maintaining consistent production at a challenging level.
Norwegian Eliteserien
Nick D'Agostino, Viking FK: After dashing his hopes of forcing his way into the Socceroos' World Cup squad, D'Agostino has yet to return to the field for Viking FK. Popovic is a fan, but D'Agostino needs to find regular football soon if he's going to get back into the national team.
Gianni Stensness, Viking FK: Stensness has been quietly making consistent starts for Viking as they qualified for the UEFA Champions League and continue to push Bodø/Glimt for the Norwegian title. With Burgess set to be sidelined for an extended period, Stensness could be well-placed to add to his two Socceroos caps.
Dutch Eredivisie
Jordan Bos, Feyenoord: Bos picked up a knee injury in the Socceroos' defeat to Egypt at the World Cup and, while he's avoided a dreaded ACL tear, is in a race against time to be fit for the Asian Cup. He'll also want to be back sooner rather than later so he can be part of Feyenoord's push for a Dutch title and Champions League campaign.
Kasey Bos, Excelsior (on loan from Mainz): The younger Bos brother landed in the Dutch top flight on loan from Bundesliga outfit Mainz but hasn't seen too much of the field early on. The 22-year-old has the talent to push for national selection -- and got a taste of camp in July 2025 -- but will need to start getting regular football to do so.
Cameron Peupion, ADO Den Haag: Peupion was a regular part of Den Haag's lineups during their promotion-winning campaign last season, but has started this new one on the sidelines after undergoing knee surgery in August. At just 23-years-old, he's definitely worth keeping an eye on when he returns.
Major League Soccer
Alex Bonetig, Portland Timbers: The former Wanderer hasn't seen much of the field during the current MLS campaign, relegated to the bench for much of the season as well as dealing with some back and shoulder complaints.
Archie Goodwin, Charlotte FC: The former A-League Men Golden Boot winner has been coming off the bench regularly in the Queen City but has spent most of 2026 stuck behind Israel international Idan Toklomati on Charlotte's depth chart. Goodwin will only turn 22 in November, however, so he's got time.
Luka Jovanović, San Jose Earthquakes: Another former Golden Boot winner in the A-League Men, Jovanović got his first start on U.S. soil in a loss to the LA Galaxy but, for the most part, has watched from the Quakes bench since landing. Like Goodwin, though, Jovanović has time on his side when it comes to establishing himself in California.
Aiden O'Neill, New York City FC: O'Neill put in a strong enough World Cup campaign that he likely would have attracted significant transfer interest if he hadn't required immediate surgery on his left ankle. Now back playing in the Big Apple, he shapes as a key cog of Popovic's plans for the Asian Cup.
Ariath Piol, Real Salt Lake: Coming off a promising first season in the United States and just 21-years-old, Piol suffered an Achilles injury in March and has only recently returned to training. One to keep an eye on in the years ahead.
Kye Rowles, D.C. United: After missing out on Popovic's squad for the World Cup, Burgess' Achilles injury could open the door for Rowles to return to the Socceroos as a left-footed centre-back.
Kai Trewin, New York City FC: Trewin's rise hit a speed bump coming out of the World Cup when he required surgery on his right ankle -- between him and New York teammate O'Neill, they had one working pair of ankles between them -- and he's yet to return to the field for the Pigeons.
Patrick Yazbek, Nashville SC: After a hamstring injury denied him a probable World Cup call-up, Yazbek recently returned to the XI for Nashville and should be well-placed to push for the Asian Cup.
Czech First League
Garang Kuol, Jablonec (on loan from Sparta Prague): Set to turn 22 this September, Kuol wasn't completely unused with Sparta Prague but nonetheless was loaned out to Jablonec in August. The hope for the attacker -- and Aussie football -- is that between their league, cup, and UEFA Conference League commitments, he earns regular minutes in Liberec.
Croatian HNL
Fran Karačić, NK Lokomotiva (on loan from Hajduk Split): Absent from Hajduk matchday squads at the start of the campaign, Karačić was loaned back to Lokomotiva in August. After being forced out of several Socceroos squads with injury through 2026, which ultimately cost him a chance at the World Cup, the 30-year-old will need a big campaign if he's to push for Asian Cup selection.
Austrian Bundesliga
Noah Botić, Austria Vienna: Starting to find the net and play regular minutes, Botić looked like he was very much on the right track in his first season in Austria, only to suffer a broken ankle in November. If he can pick up where he left off, he's got the ability to push for a Socceroos cap sooner rather than later.
Jed Drew, TSV Hartberg: The former Macarthur speedster was waylaid by a back injury last season but has been coming off the bench for TSV in the opening weeks of the new Austrian campaign.
Jacob Italiano, Grazer AK: Forced to withdraw from the Socceroos' squad mid-World Cup with a groin injury, Italiano recently returned to the pitch for Grazer and will be looking to lock down the Socceroos' right-back slot heading into the Asian Cup.
Marco Tilio, Rapid Vienna: Tilio was unsighted for vast stretches of his first season in Austria but has made a promising start to his sophomore campaign, getting regular minutes and amongst the goals. If he can build upon this foundation, the 25-year-old will fancy his chances of building on his 10 caps.
German 2. Bundesliga
Sam Klein, St. Pauli: The former Brisbane Roar man has made a couple of cameo appearances for St. Pauli in the opening weeks of the 2. Bundesliga season but, for the most part, is still finding his footing in Hamburg.
Connor Metcalfe, St. Pauli: Metcalfe has made no secret of the frustrations he felt with his game-time at the Millerntor-Stadion last season, and has yet to start after a late preseason arrival and muscular problems hampered his build-up to the new campaign. If regular starts don't come in the months ahead, expect him to agitate for a move come the January window.
Japanese J1 League
Eli Adams, Gamba Osaka: After a breakout campaign with the Newcastle Jets, Adams earned a move to the J1 League in the offseason and got his first starts at the start of September. If he can move overseas and replicate the form he showed at Newcastle at one of Asia's most accomplished clubs, his national team case would be hard for Popovic to ignore.
Thomas Deng, Yokohama F. Marinos: Something of a forgotten man in the Socceroos' defensive depth stocks, Deng picked up an injury during Yokohama's preseason and has yet to feature for new coach Steve Corica in the opening weeks of the new Japanese campaign.
Luka Didulica, Urawa Red Diamonds: Didulica secured a move from Melbourne Victory to Japan last October despite being yet to make his A-League Men debut. The Young Socceroo will be hoping to make his senior bow with the Reds this season.
Mitchell Duke, Machida Zelvia: After making a late push while on a short-term deal at Macarthur, Duke announced his international retirement after missing out on the Socceroos squad for the World Cup and returned to Tokyo. He's been a regular starter and amongst the goals amidst Zelvia's hot start to the new campaign, too.
Dan Hall, JEF United Ichihara-Chiba: Another player who perhaps is glossed over in conversations surrounding the Socceroos' defensive depth, Hall has been an ever-present figure for JEF in the opening weeks of the new Japanese season and, despite his new side's overall struggles to pick up points, is worth placing in conversations surrounding potential international call-ups.
Jackson Irvine, Cerezo Osaka: Irvine has hit the ground running in Japan, quickly establishing himself as a regular in Pablo Machín's XIs and showing that there's probably still a role for him to play in the Socceroos' midfield rotation.
Kusini Yengi, Sanfrecce Hiroshima (on loan from Aberdeen): There's a distinct feeling that we're approaching now-or-never areas for the older Yengi brother, who went on loan to Cerezo Osaka last January, only for the club to opt not to trigger their option to buy. With plenty of striking talent emerging since he was being positioned as the Socceroos' next No. 9, he needs to get amongst the goals in his Japan return.
Tete Yengi, Machida Zelvia: Japan has proven to be a much happier hunting ground for the younger Yengi, who parlayed a strong loan stint at Zelvia into a World Cup selection and a permanent move. Opening the season with goals in back-to-back games, he's getting regular minutes for Go Kuroda's high-flying side.
Cypriot First Division
Miloš Degenek, Apoel Nicosia: Degenek has said that he wants to push to play at another World Cup with the Socceroos. It's a lofty goal for the 32-year-old, who has started Apoel's opening games of the campaign after being in and out of their XI last season.
Hungarian Nemzeti Bajnokság
Daniel Arzani, Ferencvaros: Another who might be getting their last real chance of making a go of things overseas this season, Arzani has made a cautiously positive start to the new Hungarian campaign under new manager Balázs Borbély. Popovic has proven willing to give him a chance in the past, so we'll see if this early form augurs a Socceroos return.
Italian Serie B
Mark Natta, Cesena: Another former Jet that parlayed a premiership-winning season into an overseas move, Natta is working under first-year coach and A-League Men alumni Alessandro Diamanti at Cesena, but hasn't featured in the Italian second-tier's opening weeks.
Scottish Premiership
Keanu Baccus, St Mirren: Injuries have consistently derailed Baccus' attempts to build on the 2022 World Cup, and they've struck once again this season with the 28-year-old yet to feature for the Buddies in the new Scottish season.
Daniel Bennie, Dundee United (on loan from QPR): After two seasons progressing through to QPR's senior side, Bennie, still just 20-years-old, has moved up to Tannadice on loan this season in search of first-team football. Early signs are promising, too, as the West Australian looks to build on the momentum from an invite to the Socceroos' pre-World Cup training camp in Florida.
Martin Boyle, Hibernian: The hard-luck figure from the Socceroos' 2026 World Cup squad -- speculated as being the player moved on following Volpato's late switch of allegiance -- Boyle has returned for one last ride at Easter Road this season and is starting regularly for David Gray. Don't rule out an Asian Cup push from the veteran.
Jacob Chapman, St Mirren: After a loan stint at Crawley Town, Chapman made the move north to Paisley in July and has assumed the No. 1 shirt for Craig McLeish.
Cameron Devlin, Rangers: Coming off the back of a second consecutive World Cup in which he was part of the Socceroos' squad but didn't see the field, Devlin followed Derek McInnes to Rangers during the offseason and has been seeing regular minutes at the Ibrox thus far.
Jake Girdwood-Reich, Motherwell: After spending last year on loan at Auckland FC, winning an A-League Men title, Girdwood-Reich made a permanent move from St. Louis CITY SC to Motherwell in July and looks to have found a club to secure regular minutes.
Jack Iredale, Hibernian: After being a consistent starter for Hibs in 2025-26, Iredale's lone league appearance so far in 2026-27 saw him sent off in an Edinburgh Derby defeat to Hearts.
John Koutroumbis, Motherwell: Koutroumbis was quietly putting together a solid season on both the left- and right-hand sides of the Motherwell defence in 2025-26 until he was struck by a calf injury, and injuries have hampered him early in 2026-27, too.
Oscar Priestman, Motherwell: Like his countryman Koutroumbis, Priestman has also been battling injury to start the 2026-27 season, hampering his hopes of building on a solid first season in Europe in which he was a regular bench option in Scotland.
Joshua Rawlins, Dundee United: Rawlins made the move to Dundee United from Melbourne Victory during the offseason, and the 22-year-old has wasted no time in getting himself settled: starting week-in-and-week-out on the right of Jim Goodwin's defence.
Lachlan Rose, Dundee United: Rose got amongst the goals early after swapping Newcastle for Tannadice but has slowed since, coming off the bench in the Tangerines' last month of league fixtures.
Zac Sapsford, Dundee United: Sapsford had a promising first season in Scotland and was perhaps unlucky to not get a shot as Popovic cast the Socceroos net far and wide during the build-up to the World Cup. He's been amongst the goals against lower-league opposition in the Scottish League Cup so far but will need to carry that form into league play if he's going to get an Asian Cup look-in.
Apostolos Stamatelopoulos, Motherwell: After spending the tail-end of last season on loan at Sydney FC, Stamatelopoulos was rumoured to be heading for the exit at Motherwell during the most recent window but, for now, remains unused at Fir Park.
Ryan Strain, Falkirk: Another player that's been perennially snakebit with injury, Strain signed with the Bairns as a free agent in July and has become a regular starter as they look to follow up last season's impressive return to the Scottish top flight.
Nick Suman, Aberdeen: Now in his second season in Scotland, the former Macarthur FC keeper looks like he's set to be stuck behind new signing Marius Müller for the campaign ahead.
Ante Suto, Hibernian: Suto's impressive early form with Hibs following his January move was enough to induce Popovic to lure him away from Croatia for the 2026 March window. However, the 26-year-old didn't feature against Cameroon or Curaçao and hasn't been a regular starter for Hibs so far in 2026-27.
Korean K League 1
John Iredale, Gwangju FC: Unsighted in the Socceroos setup since Popovic took over, Gwangju FC brought Iredale in for the second half of the K-League campaign in June. The 27-year-old is getting regular minutes in his new home but, alas, is still looking for a first win in his new colours after 11 attempts as the Griffins head towards the drop.
English League One
Raphael Borges Rodrigues, Burton Albion (on loan from Coventry City): After he spent last year on loan at Wigan Athletic, easily playing the most minutes of his career and earning an invite to the Socceroos' pre-World Cup training camp, now-Premier League outfit Coventry have sent Raphael back to League One for 2026-27, this time with Burton Albion. Notably, coach Gary Bowyer used him as a centre-forward in his debut.
Gethin Jones, Milton Keynes Dons: Last featuring for the Socceroos under Graham Arnold, Jones helped MK Dons to promotion in 2025-26 and has been a regular on their right flank in the opening weeks of their 2026-27 League One campaign.
Hayden Matthews, Bradford City (on loan from Portsmouth): Another of the Australian contingent that moved to Fratton Park only to break down with injuries, Matthews secured a deadline day loan move to the Bantams as he looks to kickstart a career that did see him at one point starting for Popovic during World Cup qualifiers.
Ashley Maynard-Brewer, Sheffield Wednesday: After making 10 starts for Dundee United last season, Maynard-Brewer signed with Wednesday on a free transfer during the offseason. His only minutes this season, however, came with Gillingham -- spending two games with the Gills on emergency loan.
Sam Silvera, Milton Keynes Dons: Silvera turned a promising pre-season into some first-team opportunities with Boro last campaign, as well as a look-in in Socceroos camp. However, a metatarsal fracture wrecked the back end of his campaign, and he's now looking to start afresh in Milton Keynes.
Luka Smyth, Notts County: Working off Broadway in the Finnish league, Smyth scored 11 goals across 31 senior appearances with VPS Vaasa and turned that into a move to League One during the offseason. It's been a decent start at Meadow Lane, too, featuring a brace off the bench in a 2-1 win over Burton Albion.
Harry Souttar, Leicester City: It felt like Souttar spent most of the offseason with one foot out the door at Leicester, only to find himself still in residence at the King Power when the window slammed shut. On the bright side, he'll likely play a lot as long as he remains in the Midlands. Unfortunately, a League One level isn't ideal for a Socceroos skipper, and Leicester have not started the campaign well at all.
Clayton Taylor, Barnsley: Another standout from the Newcastle Jets in 2025-26, Taylor is getting his first taste of European football at the Oakwell Stadium. The talent is there, but how he's able to go from the A-League Men to the physical demands of League One will be a big test.
Caleb Watts, Plymouth Argyle: An adroit writer, Watts has mostly been featuring off the bench to commence his second season at Plymouth, but his strong form should be bringing him into line for more minutes.
Liga Portugal 2
Anthony Carter, Vizela: After dropping back down to the Portuguese second tier on loan midway through the 2025-26 campaign, Carter has remained in the Liga Portugal 2 this season with Vizela and netted a brace in his first league start.
Slovenian PrvaLiga
Yaya Dukuly, NK Celje: The former Adelaide United flyer has landed in Slovenia for a second attempt at a European breakthrough, and with Celje set to compete in the UEFA Europa League in addition to their domestic commitments, there should be scope to get decent minutes.
Ukrainian Premier League
Nathanael Blair, NK Veres Rivne: Despite Russia's ongoing invasion of Ukraine, its top-flight continues to play in a heavily disrupted fashion, with Blair starting every game for Oleg Shandruk's side since his offseason move from the Central Coast Mariners.
German 3. Liga
Dylan Leonard, Alemannia Aachen (on loan from Schalke 04): After registration and injury issues hampered his introduction to life in Germany, Leonard will be looking to play regular football for the first time since the 2024-25 season with Aachen this campaign after being loaned out by Bundesliga side Schalke.
Nishan Velupillay, FC Ingolstadt 04: Coming off the back of a World Cup appearance at 25-years-old, the time was now for Velupillay to make a European move, and while the German third tier isn't exactly a marquee destination, he'll hope it's a stepping stone on the way to one. For that to occur, however, he'll need to establish himself as a standout at the Audi Sportpark.
Premier League of Bosnia and Herzegovina
Tomi Juric, Zrinjski Mostar: Still knocking about at 35-years-old, Juric returned to the HŠK Zrinjski Stadium midway through the 2025-26 campaign and is entering his first full season with Mostar.
UAE Pro League
Ajdin Hrustić, Al-Nasr: Part of the Heracles Almelo side that was relegated from the Dutch top-flight last season, Hrustić moved to the UAE as a free agent during the offseason. With plenty of attacking depth coming through the Socceroos ranks, he'll need to establish himself as one of the Pro League's best if he's to maintain a spot in the national team.
Finnish Veikkausliga
Luke Ivanovic, TPS: With minutes increasingly hard to come by as the 2026 campaign has worn on, 26-year-old Ivanovic is in his second stint in the Finnish top-flight, after previously spending a season with FC Lahti.
English League Two
Kaelan Majekodunmi, Swindon Town: After starting 2026 with NPLM Victoria side the Dandenong Thunder, Majekodunmi landed at the County Ground ahead of the new season and has been receiving regular minutes from manager Ian Holloway.
Jaylan Pearman, Swindon Town (on loan from QPR): After making just a single senior appearance in his first year at Loftus Road, QPR have loaned the 20-year-old "Prince of Perth" to League Two in pursuit of first-team football in 2026-27.
Thai League 1
Anthony Cáceres, Bangkok United: Part of the Socceroos pre-World Cup training camp, Cáceres swapped Macarthur for Bangkok during the offseason, where he's expected to feature regularly for the Thai powers.
Kenny Dougall, Buriram United: The five-time Socceroo has been with Buriram -- who sacked former Central Coast title-winning coach Mark Jackson just days out from the start of the new campaign -- since 2023, and wore the armband several times last season.
Ryan Edwards, BG Pathum United: Edwards departed Cypriot side Omonia Aradippou and signed with BG Pathum, his first time playing in Southeast Asia.
Curtis Good, Buriram United: Due to restrictions on the number of foreigners clubs can play in league play, all 48 of Good's appearances since signing for Buriram ahead of the 2024-25 season have come exclusively in cup and continental competitions.
Japanese J2 League
Joe Caletti, Tochigi City: Across his two stints at the club, Caletti has been part of a rise that has seen Tochigi go from the fourth to the second tier of Japanese football.
Jason Geria, Albirex Niigata: Geria was able to keep his place in the Socceroos and go to the World Cup despite remaining with Niigata during the J2/J3 100 Year Vision League. With the Japanese calendar now shifted, he'll need to impress in a full second-tier season to see off significant defensive depth in the Aussie ranks.
Tom Glover, Omiya Ardija: Glover has established himself as coach Narcís Pèlach's first choice at Red Bull's Japanese outpost to start a new J2 League season in which Omiya have raced to the top of the table.
Aidan Simmons, Tochigi City: Simmons was sent off in his competitive debut for Tochigi, but the former Wanderer was able to grab an assist in his first start following that suspension.
Dutch Keuken Kampioen Divisie
Max Balard, NAC Breda: Balard was linked with a move away from the Rat Verlegh Stadion following Breda's relegation to the Dutch second tier, but no such transfer eventuated for the midfielder. After being left out of the Socceroos' squad for the March international window and not getting an invite to their pre-World Cup training camp, he faces a defining period in his international career.
Rhys Bozinovski, Heracles Almelo: Bozinovski got something of a baptism of fire when he arrived at Heracles midseason from Perth Glory and was promptly relegated. An ankle injury has hampered his start to the new season in the Dutch second-tier.
Josh Nisbet, Roda JC Kerkrade: Nisbet established himself as a regular for Roda in his first season and looks to have picked up where he left off as he and his teammates attempt to improve on their midtable finish in 2026-27.
Vietnamese V.League 1
Stefan Mauk, Cong An Hanoi: Now in his second season in Vietnam, Mauk came back to haunt his old side in his first game of the new campaign -- knocking Adelaide United out of the Asian Champions League Elite.
Adam Taggart, Hanoi: Taggart wasn't planning on departing Perth Glory ahead of the new season but, in the latest sign of the league struggling to hold onto veteran players amid its ongoing financial struggles, was allowed to move to join coach Harry Kewell in Vietnam in late August.
Jason Cummings, Ho Chi Minh City: After three years with Indian side Mohun Bagan Super Giant, the "Cumdog" made the move to Vietnam during the offseason, linking up with former Melbourne Victory boss Arthur Diles at the police-owned side.
Potential dual nationals
Abdul Faisal, Al-Gharraf SC (on loan from Al-Karma SC)
Antonio Arena, AS Roma
Ayman Gülasi, Schalke 04
Gianluca Okon-Engstler, Club Brugge
Jason Kodor, Rapid Bucuresti
Liam Chipperfield, FC Sion
Mahdi Nicoll-Jazuli, Chelsea
Markus Walker, FC Nordsjælland
Noa Skoko, NK Rudeš Zagreb (on loan from Hajduk Split)
