A trio of top teams in the Premier League – Manchester United, Newcastle United and Tottenham Hotspur – have a mutual transfer target in their sights. All three are looking to make a move for Nottingham Forest defender Neco Williams.
Manchester United and Newcastle have a fairly long-standing interest in the Welsh international, while Tottenham have recently joined the race.
According to a report from TEAMtalk, Williams would rather join United out of the three interested parties. The Red Devils are also interested in Newcastle’s Lewis Hall [via TEAMtalk], which would open the door for the Toon to make a move.
However, as we previously reported, there Hall is thought to be ‘going nowhere’ this summer. If this remains the case, United will probably pool their efforts into signing Williams instead.
Spurs also remain a factor in this equation, though. England international Djed Spence could leave the club in the coming months, with The Sun reporting that both Inter Milan and Everton are looking to snap him up in the summer transfer window.
Should Spence leave North London, Spurs would need to replace him – Williams, being a similarly versatile defender, would be a solid replacement.
Neco Williams 2025/26 Premier League stats
Games Goals Assists Y. Cards R. Cards
N. Williams 37 2 3 6 1
While Nottingham Forest struggled in the Premier League last season, Williams was still able to enjoy a decent campaign on an individual level.
Playing in all but one of Forest’s 38 Premier League outings, the only game he missed was due to a red card suspension. They would also lose that game, falling to a 3-1 defeat against Leeds United.
Forest had four different head coaches last season, but all of them saw the value that Williams brought to the team. Not only did he play in almost every game, he was also consistently named amongst the starting XI, with none of his appearances being from the bench.
Furthermore, Williams was also able to display his attacking prowess, scoring twice and notching up three assists over the course of the campaign.
What woud Neco Williams bring to Newcastle, Tottenham or Manchester United?
An adaptable, dependable defender, Williams is ideal for the hustle and bustle of the modern game. With players being asked to work an increasingly demanding schedule, it is important to find players with high levels of fitness who can field multiple positions.
As we’ve just touched upon, Williams ticks both of these boxes. His attitude is certainly one to be commended, as he also took the captain’s armband for a single game last season, displaying his burgeoning leadership skills.
While Williams is a natural right-back, being right footed, he actually spent the majority of the campaign playing as a left-back. As well as this, he can also play as a left midfielder, a right midfielder or as a centre-back if he is required to do so.
On top of this, he also has plenty of international experience for Wales, winning 57 caps for his country. A graduate of Liverpool’s acclaimed youth academy, he left Anfield in 2022 to join Forest.