Borussia Dortmund midfielder Felix Nmecha is prepared to turn down a move to Newcastle United, according to German publication BILD (page 12).
The 25-year-old had a good World Cup with Germany despite their round-of-32 exit. He caught the eye with his performances, and BILD claim that Manchester United are among his admirers.
Newcastle United have also expressed an interest in the 25-year-old as they seek a replacement for Sandro Tonali, who recently left for Tottenham Hotspur.
As things stand, Nmecha favours a move to a ‘bigger club’ than the Magpies.
Nmecha presently has a release clause (£68 million) for next summer, and it is claimed that Dortmund will demand a minimum of £103m for his immediate transfer.
United may not pursue Nmecha due to the price tag
The Red Devils have already secured a verbal agreement to land Atalanta midfielder Ederson for £39m.
United are now aiming to spend big on a marquee signing. Mateus Fernandes was a prime target for the club, but he has chosen to join Spurs from West Ham United.
The Red Devils were prepared to pay £80m plus £5m in add-ons for the Portuguese, but Spurs beat them to his services with a fixed package of £85m without bonuses.
Nmecha has been mentioned as a possible target, but we don’t think United will spend £103m on a player who would not represent an upgrade on Fernandes in many attributes.
Comparing the two, Nmecha only fares notably better than Fernandes in progressive carries last term. He trails behind him in duels won, possession won, as well as forward distribution.
Hence, United may not enter the race for Nmecha at the current valuation. For such a hefty price, they would be better off spending the funds to purchase Real Madrid star Aurelien Tchouameni.
Tchouameni seems reluctant to leave Los Blancos at the moment, but manager Jose Mourinho’s desire to sign a more creative midfielder could ultimately pave the way for his departure.
United seem prepared to break the bank for the Frenchman, who is a world-class player. He is a complete package with his ball-carrying ability, passing range and duel-winning skills.
He ranked in the 97th percentile for percentage of duels won last season, and would be a proper upgrade and a level-raiser for United as they seek to push for silverware next term.
Stats from DataMB
