Manchester United and Liverpool are set to battle for Borussia Dortmund midfielder Felix Nmecha, with United having made contact and Liverpool monitoring the £84m-rated German international as an alternative to Bournemouth's Alex Scott.
The 26-year-old has become one of the most sought-after central midfielders in the Bundesliga, and his name dominated Tuesday's gossip columns after TEAMtalk reported that both Premier League giants are assessing him ahead of the January window. It is interest Dortmund are determined to resist.
Why everybody wants Nmecha
Nmecha's appeal is easy to understand. Born in Hamburg, he spent more than a decade in Manchester City's academy before establishing himself in Germany with Wolfsburg and then Dortmund, who signed him in 2023. He is a versatile, energetic box-to-box midfielder who contributes at both ends of the pitch, and his performances for club and country have only strengthened his reputation.
United have maintained a persistent interest and are understood to have made contact as they weigh up midfield options for the winter window. Liverpool, meanwhile, view him as a serious alternative should their pursuit of Bournemouth's England international Scott prove fruitless — Scott's own reported price tag is complicating that chase. CaughtOffside's coverage of the race underlines how wide the admiration runs: Chelsea and Tottenham have also monitored him, while Newcastle, Manchester City and Arsenal have all taken a look over the past year.
For Liverpool, midfield depth is already a live issue — the Reds are stretched by injuries, with Jeremie Frimpong facing another spell out — and for United, the search for a dynamic midfielder who can carry the ball and defend has been running all season, through a campaign already marked by unrest, including the recent media ban row involving Lisandro Martinez.
Dortmund hold all the cards
Anyone hoping for a January deal, however, faces a wall. Nmecha extended his contract until June 2030 earlier this year and remains central to head coach Niko Kovac's plans at Signal Iduna Park. There is no active release clause that can be triggered in January; an €80 million clause — around £67.4m — only becomes available from the summer of 2027.
In the meantime Dortmund's valuation sits far higher, with figures in the region of €90-100 million, up to £84.2m, frequently mentioned. Sporting director Ole Book has previously described a sale as highly unlikely, and with a long-term contract in place and Nmecha an established regular starter, Dortmund are under no pressure to sell mid-season. Any realistic move, on current reporting, is far more likely at the end of the season than in the coming weeks.
So what happens next?
Expect both English clubs to keep watching rather than bidding in January. United's contact keeps them at the front of the queue if Dortmund's stance ever softens, while Liverpool's position depends on Scott: if Bournemouth hold out for a fee at or near the top of the market, Nmecha becomes the plan B — albeit an even more expensive one. The summer of 2027, when that €80m clause activates, is the date that really matters, and every top Premier League recruitment department will have it circled.
Beyond the Final Whistle: This is the modern midfield market in one story — a player who left England for free as a teenager is now an £84m target for the two biggest clubs in the country, and even that money may not be enough in January. Dortmund have played this perfectly: extend early, kill the January clause, and dare the Premier League to overpay. United and Liverpool both need a midfielder like Nmecha, but need is not leverage. Unless one of them panics in January, Dortmund keep their man — and the auction simply gets bigger next summer.
Would Nmecha be worth £84m for Liverpool or Manchester United — or should both clubs walk away? Let us know what you think in the comments.
