The 22-year-old’s loan contract with Anderlecht runs out at the end of the season, but the Belgian club are keen to retain his services beyond the summer.
However, the Purple and Whites will have to sign him on a permanent deal to keep him at the club as Manchester City are not interested in sending the striker out on loan again.
Anderlecht technical director Verbeke has explained that the Belgian club will have to look to buy Nmecha as the Citizens are looking to sell him in the summer.
Verbeke is aware that Nmecha is happy at Anderlecht, but admitted that the Purple and Whites would be blown out of the water if another club offer Manchester City a significant transfer fee.
“I think City want to sell him“, Verbeke told Belgian daily La Derniere Heure.
“So we have to buy him.
“The player feels good here, he receives love and seeks stability.
“He’s playing well and we’re going to play in Europe.
“But, if another club offers City €15m and a big contract to Lukas, we shouldn’t even try to transfer him.“
Verbeke is hopeful that the fact Nmecha only has one year remaining on his contract with Manchester City will lower his value, but insisted that Anderlecht boss Vincent Kompany’s relationship with the English giants will not do them any favours.
“Since he only has one year left on his contract, his value may be less“, the Belgian added.
“We have a certain budget to talk to City, but we don’t have everything in our hands.
“We are working hard on this case.
“The fact that Vincent is so close to City will not change anything in this case.
“Romance and emotions – they don’t care.
“It’s the business that matters.“
Apart from Anderlecht, Nmecha has also attracted transfer interest from clubs in Spain and Germany.
