Como have been very active, but also need to whittle down their squad, as Felipe Jack joins Cremonese, Southampton want Ivan Azon, while Club Brugge and Freiburg target Yannik Engelhardt.

The Lariani qualified for the Champions League after finishing fourth in Serie A and reaching the Coppa Italia semi-final, so are going to raise the bar even more this summer.

Cesc Fabregas has already received reinforcements like Luis Milla from Getafe, Kaiki from Cruzeiro and Barcelona youth product Andres Cuenca.

The focus therefore now has to be on whittling down those who won’t get playing time.

Como seek Jack, Engelhardt and Azon buyers

A transfer was already made official today, as defender Felipe Jack joined Serie B side Cremonese on loan for the rest of the season.

Fabrizio Romano claims that Southampton have started formal talks with Como for Azon, the 23-year-old Spanish striker who spent last season on loan at Ipswich Town.

The aim is to get a permanent sale for €9-10m, which is a big profit considering Como paid €2m to get him from Real Zaragoza in February 2025 and he never made a single appearance for the club.

The same pundit also states that both Club Brugge and SC Freiburg have made offers for German midfielder Engelhardt.

The Belgians have the upper hand with circa €10m on the table compared to the €8m for Freiburg, but the decision will be made soon.

Engelhardt also spent last season on loan, at Borussia Monchengladbach, and was bought from Fortuna Dusseldorf for €8m in 2024.

Serie A players have contributed to Norway’s World Cup quarter-final qualification, with Torbjorn Heggem featuring regularly in the starting lineup and Marcus Pedersen and Leo Ostigard both on the scoresheet.

Erling Haaland has deservedly made headlines as his Norway side has qualified for the World Cup quarter-finals for the first time in history. The Manchester City striker has netted seven World Cup goals so far, just one fewer than Kylian Mbappé, who has already played in the quarter-finals, scoring one goal in a 2-0 win over Morocco.

Two Serie A goals for Norway at the 2026 World Cup

As Gazzetta highlights, however, Norway’s World Cup run has also been inspired by the performances of some Serie A players.

Four footballers from Italy’s top-flight, plus Morten Thorsby, who was relegated to Serie B with Cremonese last season, are part of the Norway team at the World Cup: Marcus Pedersen (Torino), Torbjorn Heggem (Bologna), Leo Ostigard (Genoa) and Kristian Thorstvedt (Sassuolo).

Bologna’s Heggem has started every match except against France and has received no yellow cards so far, despite playing as a centre-back. Torino right-back Pedersen scored against Senegal and has collected three appearances, two as a starter.

Thorstvedt has made two appearances as a substitute. Ostigard played four matches, one as a starter against France, and scored against Iraq on the debut game, becoming the first Serie A player to score a goal at the 2026 World Cup.

Thorsby was introduced as a substitute against France in the third group stage game.

Italy are fully aware of Norway’s strength, having lost to them twice in the qualifying group stage. Norway won all ten of their games, and by the time they met Italy in the final round, winning 4-1, their goal difference was already far superior to the Azzurri’s.

The 2026 World Cup round of 16 is now complete, and heading into the quarter-finals, Milan’s five remaining players mean that they are the best represented Serie A side at the tournament in North America. 

France, Morocco, Spain, Belgium, England, Norway, Argentina and Switzerland are the eight sides that will compete in the 2026 World Cup quarter-finals, which will kick off on Thursday evening: France vs. Morocco the first game on the schedule.

In terms of Serie A representation, Milan have provided the most quarter-finalists of any Italian team with France duo Adrien Rabiot and Mike Maignan, Belgian pair Koni De Winter and Alexis Saelemaekers and Switzerland midfielder Ardon Jashari. 

Inter are the second-most represented Serie A side in the 2026 World Cup quarter-finals with three representatives in the form of France’s Marcus Thuram, Argentina’s Lautaro Martinez and Switzerland’s Manuel Akanji.

Roma, Napoli and Bologna each have two representatives: The Giallorossi with Neil El-Aynaoui (Morocco) and Manu Kone (France), the Partenopei with Kevin De Bruyne and Romelu Lukaku of Belgium and The Rossoblu with Norway’s Torbjorn Heggem and Switzerland’s Remo Freuler. 

Atalanta, Como, Genoa, Torino, Sassuolo, Cremonese and Pisa all have one player each left at the 2026 World Cup.

Which Serie A players are left at the 2026 World Cup?

Milan: Adrien Rabiot (France), Mike Maignan (France), Koni De Winter (Belgium), Alexis Saelemaekers (Belgium), Ardon Jashari (Switzerland).

Inter: Marcus Thuram (France), Lautaro Martinez (Argentina), Manuel Akanji (Switzerland).

Roma: Manu Kone (France), Neil El-Aynaoui (Morocco).

Napoli: Kevin De Bruyne (Belgium), Romelu Lukaku (Belgium).

Bologna: Torbjorn Heggem (Norway), Remo Freuler (Switzerland). 

Atalanta: Charles De Ketelaere (Belgium).

Como: Nico Paz (Argentina).

Genoa: Leo Ostigard (Norway).

Torino: Marcus Holmgren Pedersen (Norway). 

Sassuolo: Kristian Thorstvedt (Norway).

Cremonese: Morten Thorsby (Norway).

Pisa: Michel Aebischer (Switzerland).

21 Serie A and Serie B representatives are left standing as the 2026 World Cup moves into the quarter-final stages following the final two round of 16 ties on Tuesday night. 

With no Italy at the tournament in North America, Belgium and Norway might be the two nations for the Serie A neutral to support heading into the quarter-finals. They have the most ‘Italian’ representatives in their squads with five players apiece. 

France and Switzerland are also well represented by Serie A and Serie B talents, with four players in each of their squads. 

Argentina have two Serie A stars in their ranks with Lautaro Martinez and Nico Paz, while Morocco’s sole ‘Italian’ representative is Roma’s Neil El-Aynaoui. Spain and England are without Serie A representation. 

But we want to know who you will be rooting for heading into the final eight at the 2026 World Cup. Let us know in the comments below.

Which Serie A players are left at the 2026 World Cup?

France: Manu Kone (Roma), Marcus Thuram (Inter), Adrien Rabiot (Milan), Mike Maignan (Milan).

Morocco: Neil El-Aynaoui (Roma).

Spain: None.

Belgium: Kevin De Bruyne (Napoli), Romelu Lukaku (Napoli), Koni De Winter (Milan), Charles De Ketelaere (Atalanta), Alexis Saelemaekers (Milan).

Norway: Morten Thorsby (Cremonese), Leo Ostigard (Genoa), Marcus Holmgren Pedersen (Torino), Torbjorn Heggem (Bologna), Kristian Thorstvedt (Sassuolo).

England: None.

Argentina: Nico Paz (Como), Lautaro Martinez (Inter).

Switzerland: Manuel Akanji (Inter), Remo Freuler (Bologna), Ardon Jashari (Milan), Michel Aebischer (Pisa).