Liverpool Transfer Latest: Felix Nmecha Contact Made as Midfield Options Assessed for Andoni Iraola
Liverpool are continuing their planning for the January 2027 market, with midfield recruitment emerging as a live area of focus as Andoni Iraola shapes the next phase of his squad. Recent progress on the pitch has offered encouragement, including the 4-3 win over Villarreal, but work behind the scenes is ongoing as the club reviews multiple profiles.
According to Sky Germany, Liverpool have made recent contact with the representatives of Felix Nmecha. At this stage, that has not developed into a concrete move, but it does place the Borussia Dortmund midfielder among the names being explored as the club assess the market.
Nmecha, now 26, has been with Dortmund since 2023 and is under contract until 2030. He offers a blend of physicality, athleticism and technical security, operating naturally in a box-to-box role while also carrying the ball effectively. His background at Manchester City means he would count as homegrown in the Premier League, which is a relevant factor in any squad-building discussion.
Midfield shortlist taking shape
Liverpool’s interest appears to sit within a wider process rather than a single-track pursuit. Alex Scott and Lamine Camara are among the midfielders being monitored, while Manu Kone and Adam Wharton have also been mentioned in the club’s wider thinking. That suggests Iraola and Liverpool’s recruitment staff are looking at different age ranges, price points and tactical skill sets before deciding where to act.
Nmecha’s numbers this season have added to that interest. He has made 11 appearances in all competitions and scored twice, form that has kept him prominent at Dortmund. Reports also indicate that he has an €80 million release clause, active this summer until the end of June next year, which would naturally shape the terms of any future discussion.
Photo: IMAGO
Iraola balance still being refined
Iraola has leaned heavily on Alexis Mac Allister, Dominik Szoboszlai, Ryan Gravenberch and Trey Nyoni, with Wataru Endo yet to feature under the head coach and James McConnell used only briefly against Villarreal. That context helps explain why Liverpool are surveying the midfield landscape so closely. Whether Felix Nmecha becomes a leading option remains open, but the contact reported is another sign that Liverpool transfer planning is already moving well ahead of the next window.
Our View
The most interesting part of this report is not that Liverpool have made contact, it is that the club seem to be casting the net quite widely in midfield. That feels sensible. There is a clear need for another body in that area, and probably a very specific kind of body too, someone who can run, duel, carry the ball and still be trusted in possession when games become stretched.
Felix Nmecha looks like a logical name on paper. He has age, athleticism, top-level experience and that useful homegrown status. Those things matter. Even so, €80 million is a huge figure for a player who feels more like part of a shortlist than the obvious priority. Liverpool have made expensive mistakes in the market before by forcing a move too early, so patience here would be no bad thing.
There is also something encouraging about the variety in the names being tracked. Alex Scott, Lamine Camara, Manu Kone and Adam Wharton all bring different qualities, which suggests Iraola and the recruitment team are still deciding exactly what this midfield needs to look like by January and beyond.
If anything, this reads like smart groundwork rather than a transfer about to explode. That is usually where the best business starts. Liverpool need the right midfielder, not simply the next available one, and if that means waiting while keeping several options warm, that is probably the correct approach.