Bayern Munich and Borussia Dortmund have entered a high-stakes battle for Anderlecht’s 17-year-old prodigy Nathan De Cat. The Belgian youth international has risen rapidly from academy standout to first-team regular, attracting top clubs with his tactical intelligence and dominant performances. With his contract running until 2027, De Cat has become the centre of a transfer race between the two Bundesliga giants.
Bayern and Dortmund move for Nathan De Cat
Few teenagers in Europe have generated as much momentum as De Cat, and both Bayern and Dortmund see him as a midfielder worth acting early for. According to , both clubs have formally intensified their monitoring, sending scouts to multiple matches this season as the 17-year-old has grown into a permanent starter at Anderlecht. However, they are just two of a number of top teams keeping track of him.
Bayern transfer bosses Max Eberl and Christoph Freund are leading the charge. They admire De Cat’s tactical maturity, his ability to dictate tempo from deep and his imposing frame, a combination they believe could make him a long-term successor to Leon Goretzka or a future anchor in Vincent Kompany’s midfield. Bayern’s interest is not casual; they have already placed him near the top of their long-term recruitment list.
Dortmund, known for identifying elite young talent before their peak, view De Cat with equal urgency. Aware of Bayern’s push, they consider the Belgian a perfect fit for their tradition of developing high-ceiling midfielders who can thrive in a fast, transitional system. Their scouting department has followed De Cat since his Europa League debut at 16, and the club is prepared to compete aggressively for his signature.
Neither club has made a formal bid yet as Anderlecht’s stance remains strong. But both Bayern and Dortmund have moved beyond preliminary monitoring and into serious evaluation, convinced they are chasing one of Europe’s next top midfielders.
AdvertisementAFPFrom Mechelen to Anderlecht: The rise of Nathan De Cat
De Cat’s journey began at KV Mechelen, but Anderlecht quickly spotted his potential and at just 10 years old he entered one of Europe’s most respected academies.
He progressed through the system at exceptional speed. By February 2024, only 15 years old, he made his professional debut for RSCA Futures, becoming one of the youngest players ever to appear in Belgian professional football. Months earlier, in October 2023, he had already signed his first senior contract. And in February 2025, at 16 years and seven months, he stepped onto the pitch in the Europa League, displaying a calmness and maturity that belied his age.
During his time with Anderlecht's youth academy, the Belgian midfielder played 33 games in which he scored three goals and registered four assists. His defensive recovery numbers and positional discipline are unusually advanced for a teenager, underpinning his reputation as a deep-lying playmaker with exceptional tactical instincts.
His breakthrough moment arrived in May 2025, when he scored his first professional goal during the Belgian Pro League Champions’ Playoff against Royal Antwerp.
Now a full member of Anderlecht’s first team, he has already made 14 league appearances this season, adding one goal and one assist to his name. With a U-17 World Cup call-up reinforcing his upward trajectory, De Cat enters the next phase of his development with major opportunities opening around him and Europe’s top clubs watching closely.
How De Cat fits in Bayern and Dortmund squad
The 17-year-old brings a blend of qualities that both Bayern and Dortmund rarely find in one teenager which includes tactical intelligence, composure, physicality, and elite ball circulation. His profile allows him to slot naturally into either system.
At Bayern, Kompany’s philosophy revolves around dominant possession, vertical progression and structured build-up. The coach has already demonstrated his ability to elevate young talents, with Lennart Karl a recent example of a youth player transformed into a reliable contributor under his watch. For De Cat, working under Kompany, a coach proven at guiding young defenders and midfielders, would offer a clear developmental pathway.
At Dortmund, the appeal lies in their high-tempo, vertical, pressing-heavy style. De Cat’s strong ball-winning instincts, sharp passing under pressure and quick decision-making may make him an ideal fit as the tempo-controller behind Dortmund’s attacking midfielders.
In both environments, De Cat would not just be another academy signing, he would be viewed as a long-term starting midfielder. That is precisely why Bayern and Dortmund have accelerated their pursuit.
AFPAnderlecht’s season and De Cat’s path to prominence
Anderlecht’s 2025-26 campaign has given De Cat an ideal stage. Sitting third in the Belgian Pro League, with seven wins and four draws, the club are well-placed in the championship playoffs.
To cement his prominence this season, De Cat must continue refining the aspects that define elite midfielders: maintaining high passing accuracy, dictating tempo more consistently, and adding more verticality to his play. Anderlecht want him to evolve into a central figure capable of leading both defensive structure and offensive build-up.
The club’s long-term plan is clear with De Cat viewed as a future cornerstone of Anderlecht’s midfield. They resisted releasing him initially for the U-17 World Cup because of his importance to their domestic campaign which further points to how much responsibility they already place on his shoulders.