Felix Nmecha: Why Man Utd and Chelsea want Dortmund's €65m midfield ace

Tom Weber

• Updated: 24 Jan 2026 11:41 CST
• 3 min read

Analysis

Borussia Dortmund midfielder Felix Nmecha is once again the subject of interest from Manchester United and Chelsea.

The Germany international has repeatedly been linked with a return to the Premier League in recent years. Although born in Hamburg, Nmecha spent a large part of his childhood in England and came through the Man City academy.

Man Utd, in particular, have been associated with a move for the 25-year-old on numerous occasions in the last two years. According to Sky Germany, interest from the Red Devils remains, while Chelsea are also monitoring him.

Nmecha has made no secret of the fact that England holds a special place in his heart. Speaking ahead of Dortmund's Champions League loss to Tottenham, the midfielder again reiterated that he would love to return to the Premier League one day.

However, Dortmund won't make life easy for his suitors. The Bundesliga club would ideally like to extend his contract, which currently runs until 2028. Talks are slated to start after the January window.

Nmecha ideal for Man Utd

CaughtOffside, meanwhile, claims that even if Dortmund were to sanction his exit, he wouldn't come cheap. The report states that Nmecha has been given a price tag of up to €65 million.

On paper, he would be a smart, albeit controversial signing for Man Utd. He has come under fire for homophobic comments and for publicly mourning the death of far-right activist Charlie Kirk.

In pure footballing terms, Nmecha would be an upgrade on the current options Man Utd have at their disposal. According to data analytics firm SciSports, the 25-year-old would immediately be the most capable central midfielder at Old Trafford based on his current ability.

It is worth noting that Kobbie Mainoo has the potential to become significantly better than the Dortmund ace. Right now, though, Nmecha would slot right into Michael Carrick's side.

For Chelsea, the situation isn't quite as clear cut. The Blues have considerably more elite options already at the club in Moises Caicedo and Enzo Fernandez, so Nmecha would only be a good rotation player rather than a guaranteed starter.

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