Manchester United have had issues to resolve in midfield for some time now, with the area in constant need of re-shaping.
Central midfield was the one area Ole Gunnar Solskjaer did not sign any player, and it may have been something that cost him his job in the end, splashing £73 million om Jadon Sancho instead.
Erik ten Hag fixed the issue, with short-term solutions. Casemiro and Christian Eriksen are long past being elite central midfielders, and their performance together against Ipswich showed that more is required.
Even with Kobbie Mainoo’s emergence and the signing of Manuel Ugarte, part of the issue for United has been volume. Scott McTominay left and Sofyan Amrabat’s loan was not extended.
In 2023, United were linked with a move for Wolfsburg midfielder Felix Nmecha, via Sport1. He ended up signing with Borussia Dortmund instead for around £13 million.
And on the basis of a low-key first first season in Germany, United may not have given it a second thought. More recently, 24, is beginning to catch the eye again.
Felix Nmecha impresses
Felix Nmecha has scored three times and provided two assists for Borussia Dortmund this season. And a recent performance for Germany caught the eye too.
Nmecha scored in a 1-1 draw with Hungary, delivering a man of the match performance that saw him also lead the team in tackles.
His off the ball work has impressed teammate Julian Brandt, who was quoted via ZDF: “He’s like an octopus. He keeps getting to the balls, stealing them and doing us a lot of good.”
Dortmund sporting director Sebastien Kehl is also feeling smug about Nmecha’s upturn in form, commenting: “He shows what I always saw in him, what we hoped for.”
The outlet highlight how Nmecha has gone from ‘flop to beacon of hope’, with Dortmund trying to rise up from fifth place in the Bundesliga.
Nmecha could yet return to Manchester
Felix Nmecha actually played in Manchester City’s academy before leaving to pursue a career in Germany, following the Bundesliga path.
Manchester United returning for Nmecha is not unthinkable either. Midfield remains an area where the club need numbers.
Christian Eriksen’s contract expires at the end of this season, while the club would offload Casemiro if a suitable offer were to come in.
But even with the veteran duo, United need midfield depth. Dortmund are a selling club, and at the right price, not an extortionate one, they could be convinced to cash in on Nmecha as his stock rises after his international breakthrough.
Having shown interest in Nmecha in the past, it would not be surprising at all to see United keeping track of his progress.
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