Borussia Dortmund midfielder Felix Nmecha has explained why he left Manchester City on a free transfer in 2021, admitting he felt God was directing him elsewhere.
Nmecha has been speaking to Sky Sports in Germany regarding his career so far, having joined Borussia Dortmund in a €30m deal this summer.
He started his career with Manchester City’s youth team and worked his way up the various ranks, featuring for the U18s and U23s between 2017 and 2021.
He eventually made three appearances for Manchester City’s first team, featuring in both the FA Cup and EFL but never in the Premier League.
The lack of minutes eventually led him to decide to depart the Etihad for VfL Wolfsburg on a free transfer in July 2021, a move which has worked out well for him.
As well as seeing him reunite with brother Lukas Nmecha, who had also been a part of Manchester City’s youth team, it also saw him move to a club where he could get the regular minutes, he needed to continue his development.
He did just that, featuring for them over the last two years and impressing enough that Dortmund were convinced to pay for him this summer.
It does raise the question of whether he could have fought his way into the picture at Manchester City eventually, but he insists he felt there was a higher power at play leading him elsewhere.
“When you’re at Manchester City early on you already have this competitive mentality. Of course, you want to stay there,” he said.
“So, you just work hard and try to be the best. I think my brother (Lukas Nmecha) and I didn’t think much about whether we could continue. We just wanted to be the best in our team and play with the older age groups, that was always a great motivation.
“For me it was a time when I wanted to start playing in the first team and I didn’t really have a chance with Manchester City, they are of course a great team.
“That’s why I wanted it I didn’t renew my contract with City, and I looked for other options. Then at some point Wolfsburg came along. I felt like God was guiding me to Wolfsburg and then I dared to take the step. Luckily Lukas was there before me, a week earlier. It was very nice.”
