Manchester United have moved on to other targets since Elliot Anderson completed his £116m transfer to Man City, but that deal is now hindering the pursuits of alternative options.
It’s early days in the transfer window, but Manchester United find themselves in a sticky situation because there is no value in the market.
That can be seen with deals involving Elliot Anderson to Man City or Tottenham’s double swoop for Mateus Fernandes and Sandro Tonali. All three players were linked with moves to Old Trafford before United opted to avoid bidding wars.
United are being linked with Alex Scott, Aurelien Tchouameni, Felix Nmecha, as well as more midfielders, with Ineos trying to find solutions for one of the most important positions in the team.
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Borussia Dortmund want over £100m for Felix Nmecha
It has been suggested that Christopher Vivell has been leading the charge for Nmecha’s signature. The midfielder was in the Germany squad that crashed out of the 2026 World Cup in the Round of 32.
Although that could make it easier to negotiate a deal with Borussia Dortmund, the Bundesliga outfit will not let the Germany international leave on the cheap.
In fact, Dortmund are taking inspiration from Nottingham Forest after Man City paid a whopping £116m for Anderson’s signature.
According to The Athletic, Nmecha is valued at around €120m (£102m), with sources keen to point directly to the price paid for Anderson.
While Nmecha is a consistent performer for Dortmund, making 42 appearances last term, he did not perform at a high standard at the World Cup. That may be a harsh assessment given none of the German players impressed at the tournament, but it sparks greater surprise at the reported asking price set on his head.
Nothing has been agreed yet, but United are unlikely to change its stance on working hard to avoid exploitation in the market.
Dortmund took advantage of United in 2021 when the Reds paid £73m to sign Jadon Sancho, who flopped before being sent on loan three times and leaving Old Trafford as a free agent this summer.
That is why United should always be wary of Dortmund’s valuations.
- ⚡️ NEWS IN BRIEF
- Borussia Dortmund have been inspired by Man City’s £116m deal for Elliot Anderson
- The Bundesliga club have put a £102m asking price on Felix Nmecha’s head
- United spent £73m to sign Jadon Sancho from Borussia Dortmund in 2021
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Man Utd need to find out Real Madrid’s asking price for Aurelien Tchouameni
United have been linked with Tchouameni since the end of last season.
Tchouameni had a major falling out with Valverde towards the end of the 2026/27 campaign, and reports suggest Real Madrid are open to selling a big-name midfielder to make room for new signings as Jose Mourinho plans a squad rebuild.
It could be argued that the French star is the only midfield transfer that could be counted as a ‘win’ at this point. He’s 26, a top-class defensive midfielder and has won the Champions League and World Cup.
That is the type of player United should pay top money for, unlike some of the other examples mentioned in this article.
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