Man United make initial contact with Dortmund over £86m Nmecha despite stacked midfield

Manchester United have made initial contact with Borussia Dortmund regarding a potential move for midfielder Felix Nmecha, according to reports from Fussball Daten, with the German club reportedly valuing the 25-year-old at a minimum of €100 million (£86m).

The approach comes less than a week after the summer transfer window closed, during which United brought in four new players under manager Michael Carrick — Andrey Santos, Youri Tielemans, Carlos Baleba and goalkeeper Karl Darlow. Midfield was identified as a priority area this summer, with the club also pursuing Leicester City’s Louis Page on deadline day.

Despite those arrivals, United are not alone in their reported interest. Manchester City and Newcastle United are also said to have expressed a desire to sign Nmecha, who has emerged as one of the more coveted central midfielders in the Bundesliga.

Dortmund, however, are under no immediate pressure to sell. The club regard Nmecha as an “indispensable pillar” of their midfield, and his contract runs until the summer of 2030, giving them considerable leverage in any future negotiations. Reports suggest Dortmund have no intention of letting him leave in the January window.

Nmecha began his career at Manchester City before joining Wolfsburg in 2021, eventually moving to Dortmund. His brother Lukas currently plays as a striker for Leeds United.

With the January window in mind, United’s primary focus is understood to be defensive reinforcements as part of the ongoing INEOS-led rebuild — a project that could surpass £500m in total transfer spending across three years.

In midfield, Carrick already has Bruno Fernandes, Mason Mount, Kobbie Mainoo and Manuel Ugarte available, though Ugarte remains sidelined with a serious knee injury. Whether United return with a formal bid for Nmecha — and at what point — will depend largely on how that rebuild evolves over the coming months.