Iraola’s Midfield Rebuild Picks Up Pace With a New Dortmund Name in the Mix
Liverpool’s recruitment staff are already deep into their January 2027 planning, and midfield has become the clearest area of focus as Andoni Iraola continues shaping his squad. The team’s recent form, including the 4-3 win over Villarreal, has eased some pressure, but the background work on potential additions has not slowed down at all.
A fresh name joins a growing list
According to Sky Germany, Liverpool have opened contact with representatives for Felix Nmecha, the Borussia Dortmund midfielder. Nothing concrete has developed from that contact yet, but it places Nmecha firmly among the profiles Liverpool are assessing as they map out their midfield options for the months ahead.
Nmecha, now 26, has been at Dortmund since 2023 and is tied to the club until 2030. He offers a rare mix of physical presence, mobility and technical composure in a box to box role, and having come through Manchester City’s academy, he would also qualify as homegrown within the Premier League, a detail that always carries weight in squad planning conversations.
Liverpool casting a wide net
Nmecha is far from the only name under consideration. Alex Scott and Lamine Camara are both being tracked, while Manu Kone and Adam Wharton have also featured in Liverpool’s broader midfield thinking. That spread suggests Iraola and the recruitment department have not settled on a single profile, and are instead weighing different ages, price brackets and skill sets before committing to anyone.
Nmecha’s form will have helped push his name forward. Eleven appearances and two goals this season have kept him visible, and reports suggest Dortmund have attached an €80m release clause that runs until the end of June next year, a figure that would heavily influence any serious discussion.
Iraola still finding his midfield balance
Alexis Mac Allister, Dominik Szoboszlai, Ryan Gravenberch and Trey Nyoni have carried the bulk of midfield duties under Iraola so far, while Wataru Endo is still waiting for his first involvement and James McConnell has had only fleeting minutes, including a brief appearance against Villarreal. That context explains why Liverpool are scanning the market so widely right now. Whether Nmecha ultimately becomes a serious target remains open, but the contact itself is another sign that Liverpool’s planning for January is already well underway.
What stands out most is not that Liverpool have made contact, it is how broadly they appear to be searching. That usually points to a club still defining exactly what it needs rather than chasing one specific target. Nmecha has the athletic profile and homegrown status to make sense on paper, but €80m is a serious outlay for a name that currently looks more like one option among several than a clear priority. Given how costly rushed moves have been for Liverpool before, there is no harm in taking their time here, especially with Scott, Camara, Kone and Wharton all offering different qualities worth weighing first.