Manchester City are reported to be the front-runners to sign Borussia Dortmund teenager Mathis Albert, with Chelsea also keen, according to TEAMtalk.
The 17-year-old winger, a USA international, joined the Bundesliga club from the LA Galaxy academy in 2024 and has become one of the youngest Americans to play in the Bundesliga.
City are said to have made a formal approach in the summer and are ready to offer personal terms. They were previously reported to be prepared to meet a valuation of around €20m.
Chelsea are apparently willing to spend a similar sum, while Paris Saint-Germain made an enquiry in the summer of 2025 without a deal progressing. Arsenal and Liverpool are also said to be monitoring him.
Dortmund have rebuffed every approach, including loan enquiries, and insist he remains central to their plans, despite only being used sparingly under coach Niko Kovac this season. His contract runs until June next year, and the club are said to have an extension offer on the table for him.
The report adds that Premier League rules rule out a permanent move until he turns 18 in May, so pressure is expected to build ahead of next summer if his playing time does not improve.
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Dortmund can insist he is central to their plans, but the picture is not quite that clear. He has barely featured under Kovac, his contract reportedly runs only until next June and he wants regular football. Hold on to a teenager in that position and you risk losing him. City look well-placed, but with a move not possible until he turns 18, this feels like a story for next summer.