Man Utd told cut-price fee for Germany star as intermediaries work on ‘very realistic’ transfer

Manchester United could land midfield target Felix Nmecha for a cut-price fee this summer as intermediaries work on a ‘very realistic’ transfer as they ‘believe’ in ‘concrete’ interest in the 25-year-old.

The Red Devils have already agreed a deal to sign Ederson from Atalanta for £35m to bolster Michael Carrick’s midfield this summer, but the United bosses are keen to add at least one more central midfielder to their ranks with Casemiro already gone and Manuel Ugarte also reported to be on the Old Trafford exit ramp.

They backed out of the race for Nottingham Forest star Elliot Anderson following Manchester City’s £120m bid and have since been working on a deal for Fernandes.

But with Tottenham and Real Madrid also keen on Fernandes, they may be forced into looking at alternatives, or indeed further midfielders in addition to the West Ham man.

Sky Germany claimed last month that the Red Devils remain in ‘contact’ over a move for Nmecha, and revealed on Friday that they are ‘lurking’, along with former club Manchester City.

The City academy graduate moved to Wolfsburg in 2021 before joining Dortmund in 2023 for a fee of around £25.9 million and a fresh contract with the Bundesliga side – signed in March to extend his stay until 2030 – has failed to curb interest from Manchester United, his long-term admirers, in acquiring him this summer.

It’s claimed Nmecha’s new deal includes a release clause of €80m [£69m] for 2027, dropping to €70m [£60m] in 2028, while reports from elsewhere have claimed the German side would listen to offers of around that £60m mark this summer.

‘A potential priority’

But our friends at TEAMtalk now claim that intermediaries working on his future have ‘indicated to interested clubs that a deal could be possible for around £52million’.

Barcelona and Real Madrid are ‘confirmed admirers’ of Nmecha but sources close to the situation have told TEAMtalk that ‘a return to England is very much on the table and, in some quarters, is viewed as a potential priority’.

Arsenal, Chelsea, Liverpool, Manchester United and Manchester City ‘have all been approached’ and ‘none of those clubs have dismissed the possibility out of hand’, with a return to the Premier League viewed as a ‘very realistic option’ for Nmecha.

The report adds:

‘TEAMtalk understands that those working on behalf of the Nmecha camp believe there is a genuine market for him this summer and that interest from both England and Spain could yet develop into something more concrete.’