Gary Neville urges United to sign World Cup star with absolutely everything as Mateus Fernandes alternative

Manchester United legend Gary Neville has urged the club to consider a move for Felix Nmecha. The German midfielder has gone from strength to strength with Borussia Dortmund in recent times and is currently with his national team at the 2026 FIFA World Cup. Nmecha was outstanding against Curacao in the opening game of the tournament, scoring one goal and helping Die Nationalmannschaft to a 7-1 win. With the Red Devils looking for a new midfielder this summer, the 25 year old has been mentioned as an option as well. The Premier League giants have reportedly secured the services of Atalanta’s Ederson as they look to fill the void left by Casemiro. However, they remain keen to make further additions to the middle of the park, with West Ham United’s Mateus Fernandes reportedly high up on the wish list. Recent reports, though, suggest that the Hammers want £85 million to let him go, which could prompt United to consider alternatives. Neville believes Nmecha could be a fine option for the job. United urged to look at Nmecha Speaking on ITV, Neville pointed out that Nmecha is a complete midfielder, but acknowledged that his performances at the World Cup could see his price soar. He said: “The more he plays like he did the other night the more expensive he’ll get.” “But at the moment, we hear Manchester United are being quoted £100 million for the West Ham boy Fernandes, so they’re going to have to be looking around this tournament and parts of Europe. He looked outstanding the other night, it looked like he had absolutely everything.” Arsenal legend Ian Wright echoed those sentiments, adding: “When you look at him he breaks lines, he gets into the box, he’s got Kimmich to come in and fill in for him. He can play as a No.8 or No.10, we can see he can finish, you can see why teams are interested in him. He’s got everything.” Former Everton striker Duncan Ferguson was also full of praise for the German midfielder, stating: “He’s a very good player, a young player, he’s got a very good right foot, he’s athletic, he can get around the pitch. It looks like he can get in the box, he can defend, he’s a good size, he’s young, you can see why people are after him.” Nmecha registered five goals and three assists in 42 appearances for BVB last season. Felix Nmecha Stats: 2025/26 Season CompetitionAppearancesStartsGoalsAssistsYellow CardsRed CardsMinutes Played Bundesliga292523–2,190′ UEFA Champions League1093—753′ DFB-Pokal32—-193′ Total423653–3,136′ Source: Transfermarkt. How did Nmecha fare against Ivory Coast? Germany picked up a 2-1 win over Ivory Coast on Saturday, with Nmecha coming up against Amad. The 23 year old, unfortunately, had a quiet outing, but the German was impressive once again, providing United fans with a glimpse of what he could offer at Old Trafford. While he could not find the back of the net, Nmecha ran the show against the Elephants, creating two big chances and recording a 91% pass completion rate. He also put in the hard work in the middle of the park, registering three clearances and eight tackles. Final Thoughts Nmecha could be a fantastic option to strengthen United’s midfield but prising him away from Dortmund could be next to impossible. The German midfielder is under contract at the Signal Iduna Park until 2030, and his €70 million release clause only comes into play next summer. Meanwhile, Real Madrid reportedly have their eyes on the player, which could further complicate matters. Featured image Christof Koepsel via Getty Images The Peoples Person has been one of the world’s leading Man United news sites for over a decade. Follow us on Bluesky: @peoplesperson.bsky.social Deepungsu Pandit Deepungsu has been a Manchester United fan since 2000. In his playing days, he was an attacking midfielder with a proclivity for the back heel. Right now, however, he prefers to operate as a regista. Deepungsu has been writing about the Red Devils, Football, and other things since 2009. He has worked for over seven years with Sportskeeda, writing football reviews, opinions and news articles. Deepungsu also maintains a blog, The Thinking Me, where he writes about life and things that interest him. His favourite Manchester United player is Paul Scholes.