Neco Williams Eyes Manchester United Move Amid Liverpool Interest

Neco Williams has never been short of big decisions. Leaving Liverpool for regular football at Nottingham Forest was one. The next could be even bigger.

The Wales international is now understood to be keen on a move to Manchester United this summer, with the pull of working under Michael Carrick a major factor, according to reports. For a player schooled at Melwood and Anfield, the idea of crossing to Old Trafford would once have sounded unthinkable. Today, it sounds tempting.

United circle as Forest fight to keep their full-back

BBC Sport revealed on July 9 that United had registered their interest in Williams, opening the door to what would be one of the more intriguing moves of the window. Talks between Williams and Forest over a new deal are ongoing, and Forest sources remain confident they can persuade him to stay.

But the mood around the player is shifting.

TEAMtalk now report that Williams is ready to join United in this window, with sources close to the defender stating that a move to Old Trafford “would particularly appeal” despite his long association with Liverpool. At 25, with two full Premier League seasons at Forest behind him, he appears to see this as the right moment to step up.

He has spent most of his time at Forest on the left, but his versatility on both flanks only strengthens his value. Newcastle United have tracked him. Tottenham Hotspur have been linked as well. Even so, the noise is loudest around United.

The same report adds that Williams is “open to testing himself at a bigger club, particularly Manchester United”. No formal bids have landed at the City Ground yet, but the direction of travel is clear: the player is listening.

Forest, for their part, are not resigned to losing him. They are in active negotiations over an improved contract, which would run beyond his current deal that already stretches to 2029. With that length of security, the club hold a strong hand and can demand a substantial fee if the situation escalates.

INEOS rebuild gathers pace

United’s interest in Williams drops into a summer of sharp, decisive moves from their new football structure under INEOS.

Andrey Santos has already arrived from Chelsea in a £50m deal, the Brazilian midfielder seen as a key piece of their long-term core. United have also triggered the £35m release clause in Youri Tielemans’ contract at Aston Villa, another sign that they are prepared to move quickly when they identify value.

Full-back remains an area in need of renewal. Williams, with Premier League experience, age on his side and the ability to operate on either flank, fits the profile. The idea of Carrick shaping his game at a higher level is said to be a major draw for the player.

If United decide to press the button, Forest will not be short-changed.

Liverpool’s sell-on clause comes back into play

All of this will be of keen interest at Anfield. Williams may have left Liverpool in 2022, but the financial story did not end there.

He came through Liverpool’s academy, broke into the first team and made 33 senior appearances, scoring six goals. In July 2022, Fabrizio Romano reported that Forest would pay a total fee of £17.5m, add-ons included, and that Liverpool had secured a 15% sell-on clause in the deal.

That clause now hangs over any negotiations. With Williams tied down until 2029 and Forest in a strong bargaining position, any significant sale would send a healthy slice back to Merseyside. For Liverpool, a homegrown full-back moving to one of their fiercest rivals could end up funding part of their own rebuild.

Forest know it. United know it. Liverpool certainly know it.

So the stage is set. A 25-year-old full-back, a contract to 2029, three Premier League clubs circling, and one of English football’s great rivalries lurking in the background.

If Manchester United make their move, how high will Forest push the price of a player Liverpool helped create?