Borussia Dortmund midfielder Felix Nmecha is attracting interest from Manchester United and Chelsea, while Robert Lewandowski is heading out of Barcelona.
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TRENDING RUMORS
– Manchester United and Chelsea are interested in Borussia Dortmund midfielder Felix Nmecha, according to Sky Germany. The 25-year-old has impressed with a regular slot in Dortmund’s midfield this season and the club are hoping to renegotiate his contract, which runs out in 2028. However, Nmecha — who came through Manchester City‘s youth team and whose older brother, Lukas, plays for Leeds United — has previously intimated that he would like to play in the Premier League.
– Barcelona striker Robert Lewandowski won’t leave the club in January, but he will move to MLS in the summer, Sky Germany reports. The 37-year-old is also wanted by Saudi Pro League clubs but favours a move to the U.S., and he’s prepared to wait until the end of the season to ensure the right switch. The Poland international has been on the Barça bench in five consecutive matches and his time in La Liga is coming to an end. His contract expires in June.
– Tottenham Hotspur have been linked with West Ham United winger Crysencio Summerville and Liverpool midfielder Curtis Jones, according to the Daily Mail. Under-pressure Spurs boss Thomas Frank is still looking for someone to occupy the left-wing position vacated by Son Heung-min, with Summerville touted as a potential target. Meanwhile, Jones is another target for Frank, though his move could be trickier to achieve given his desire to stay at his boyhood club, Liverpool, for his entire career. Jones remains a key player for Arne Slot, though he has been in and out of the Liverpool side this season.
– Aston Villa had been chasing striker Tammy Abraham, but they have turned their attention to wantaway Crystal Palace striker Jean-Philippe Mateta and AC Milan‘s Ruben Loftus-Cheek. The Telegraph reports that Loftus-Cheek, 29, is seen as an ideal short-term replacement for Boubacar Kamara, who Villa fear could miss the rest of the season with a knee injury. Meanwhile, The Athletic reports that Mateta has told Palace officials that he wants to leave the South London club, and Villa see the 28-year-old Frenchman as an easier deal to negotiate than Abraham. Palace, in turn, are evaluating a move for Villa forward Evann Guessand.
– Chelsea are closing in on their first signing under new manager Liam Rosenior, according to The Athletic. Teenage Sheffield Wednesday defender Yisa Alao could move to Stamford Bridge in a £500,000 deal which would rise to £1 million with add-ons. Manchester United have already had a £450,000 bid rejected for the 17-year-old.
DONE DEALS
To follow…
EXPERT TAKE
ESPN’s resident scout Tor-Kristian Karlsen gives his take on why big clubs are looking at Felix Nmecha:
Nmecha has played a more regular role for Dortmund this season. He is physically well-equipped and brings a technical edge that stands out in midfield.
Nmecha also offers some interesting tactical flexibility. He can operate as a deep-lying No. 6 — anchoring play and protecting space in front of the back line; he can handle a balanced box-to-box role by covering ground in both directions; he is also comfortable higher up as the most attack-minded central midfielder, operating in an “8-and-a-half” role behind the striker.
What generally allows him to shift between those tasks is his willingness — and capacity — to take care of the more unglamorous work in midfield. His game feature strong defensive involvement including a high running volume with repeat sprints and recovery runs and an intense pressing approach, which is crucial to BVB’s dynamic midfield structure. Crucially, however, those skills are backed up with progressive and functional on-ball quality.
This season, Nmecha also added a more consistent end product to his game. He has scored five goals in all competitions — including a brace vs FC Copenhagen in the USL — with the majority of his goals coming from late arrivals to the edge of the attacking box (often as part of “second wave” attacks) before executing firmly with his right foot.
OTHER RUMORS
– Bournemouth have reached an agreement with Lazio over the loan of goalkeeper Christos Mandas. (Talksport)
– Barcelona are focusing their efforts on landing Norwich City’s teenage winger Ajay Tavarez. The 16-year-old can leave the Canaries due to his European passport from his Portuguese roots. (Mundo Deportivo)
– Burnley are looking to bolster their midfield and want to sign out-of-favour West Ham midfielder James Ward-Prowse on loan until the end of the season. (Sky Sports)
– Middlesbrough look to have beaten Birmingham City to the signing of Brighton midfielder Jeremy Sarmiento. (Talksport)
– Norwich City are close to agreeing a loan move for Manchester United’s 18-year-old defender Harry Amass, who spent the first half of the season at Sheffield Wednesday. (The Pinkun)
– Everton and Nottingham Forest have made enquiries about Sunderland striker Wilson Isidor, who has fallen down the pecking order at the Stadium of Light. (Sky Sports)
– Ethan Nwaneri‘s loan move to Marseille is edging closer, with the 18-year-old in France undergoing a medical. His temporary switch comes with no permanent option. (The Athletic)
– The mass exodus from Selhurst Park looks set to continue, with Jesurun Rak-Sakyi the latest player linked with an exit. The 23 year old is a target for Celtic and Stoke City. (Sky Sports)
– James McAtee could leave Nottingham Forest. One unnamed Premier League club, and a number of German clubs are interested in the 23-year-old midfielder. (The Sun)
– Bournemouth are on the verge of replacing Antoine Semenyo with Vasco de Gama forward Rayan in a deal believed to be worth £30.5 million. (Sky Sports)
– Oleksandr Zinchenko was already having a medical at Ajax ahead of a loan move, but already the Dutch giants are hoping to make the move permanent. (Daily Mail)
– Chelsea will recall David Datro Fofana from his loan spell in Turkey before letting him join Leicester City. The 23-year-old had scored eight goals in 15 appearances in Super Lig action. (Standard)
– Manchester City midfielder Oscar Bobb is closing in on a £35m transfer to Fulham, with the two clubs now negotiating on the structure of the deal. (Daily Mail)
– Norwich City have made an audacious bid to sign striker Kasper Høgh from Norwegian side Bodo Glimt. The 25-year-old has scored 17 goals in 28 league games this season. (Talksport)
– Mathys Tel and Randal Kolo Muani could be on the move in January, with both players uncertain about their futures at Tottenham. (Teamtalk)
– Napoli, Juventus and Aston Villa are all monitoring the situation of Fenerbahce forward Youssef En-Nesyri, with all three sides in touch with the Turkish club in the last 24 hours. (Fabrizio Romano)
– West Ham are expecting some ins and outs this month, and have checked in on defender Axel Disasi‘s situation at Chelsea. (Daily Mail)
– Sporting CP have signed Senegalese winger Souleymane Faye from Granada in a deal worth around EURO6m. (Mundo Deportivo)
