Anderlecht have made it a ‘top priority’ to keep Manchester City youngster Lukas Nmecha at the club beyond the summer.
That’s according to Het Laatste Nieuws, relayed by Voetbal 24, who say the Belgian side are willing to ‘do everything’ to keep the 22-year-old.
Nmecha has been in impressive form in the Jupiler Pro League this season, with 13 goals and two assists in 29 league games earning him plenty of admirers.
He’s already been linked with a move to Germany if Manchester City decide to sell, given his contract expires next year.
For several months it has been made clear that, regardless of what City decide, the chances of Nmecha staying at Anderlecht are slim.
Vincent Kompany and co are ‘pushing’ a permanent deal and have made the striker a ‘top priority’ in the summer transfer window.
Doing so will not be an ‘easy task’ for Head of Sports Peter Verbeke, with Nmecha ‘in demand’ and German club Hamburg also eyeing a move.
Nonetheless, they want to convince Manchester City into a permanent sale and persuade both his former club and the player that a move would be ‘ideal’ for all parties.
However, it’s yet to be seen whether the player or his club will agree with that line of thinking, with money likely to be a deciding factor.
City ‘want to sell’ for ‘millions’, and there is talk of an €8m asking price, but if Anderlecht can’t ‘cough up’ that amount, the striker might end up elsewhere.
Nmecha, for his part, wants to play in a big league as soon as possible, and that is ‘not such great news’ for the Belgians.
Kompany is going to try either way, though, and it’s hoped the fact he knows the player ‘through and through’ and has a ‘good relationship’ with Manchester City can work in his and his club’s favour.
