Manchester United are set to try and sign Borussia Dortmund starlet Jude Bellingham next summer, according to The Athletic.
Manchester United Will Face Competition From Europe’s Top Clubs for Jude Bellingham
Believe the official cliche is ‘another £20m just got slapped on his price tag’
So good tonight from Bellingham, the player everyone wants next summer https://t.co/tyKONri5A5
— Alex Kay-Jelski (@AlexKayJelski) September 26, 2022
Bellingham Is Becoming One of the Most Sought-After Talents After Impressive Performances
United will face competition from some of the most elite clubs across Europe; Real Madrid, Chelsea, Liverpool and Manchester City – all of which will be in the race for the 19-year-old’s signature. Dortmund value Bellingham, who has quickly become one of the most exciting prospects in world football, at around £131.6 million.
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The Salford side came close to agreeing a deal with Bellingham and his family before he completed the move to Germany. In 2020, the then 16-year-old midfielder visited Carrington along with his parents to further identify what role the teenager would play should he sign for United. His father, Mark, was reportedly “thorough and professional” as he quizzed staff about “daily operations and sustainability of managers.”
United Came Close to Agreeing Deal Before Bellingham Moved to Dortmund
John Murtough, United’s director of football, has developed a long-lasting relationship with Mark which dates back to the club’s first pursuit of Bellingham when he was only 15. The Bellingham’s decided to stay in the Midlands to allow the youngster to further develop whilst staying loyal to their local team Birmingham City, where Jude became an academy graduate.
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Assistant manager Mike Phelan was well informed of the capabilities of the midfielder before Bellingham made senior appearances. According to Laurie Whitwell: “United had watched Bellingham play 46 times at various levels since the age of 12 and the message that kept coming back was that he was a player to be signed immediately.”
Phelan lauded the star as “a player of the potential of Steven Gerrard and Paul Scholes” when describing him to former United manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer.
Dortmund Have Fulfilled Promise to Youngster
The past two years have only further proved that Dortmund have followed through in the promise they made to the teenager before signing. Bellingham told the BBC: “They told me, ‘If you come here, we’ll develop you, you’ll get game time and you’ll be an international in two years.”
⭐ Jude Bellingham has the best WhoScored rating for England from their matches in 2022 so far pic.twitter.com/4uTf4gImeB
— WhoScored.com (@WhoScored) September 27, 2022
Dortmund are regarded for their ability to grow and develop young talents. The likes of Ousmane Dembele, Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, Erling Haaland and Jadon Sancho all made a name for themselves at the club before making big-money moves. Bellingham is likely to be the latest name added to the list.
Fast forward to 2022 and the Birmingham-born talent has only further proved his ability. He has become a regular England international for the senior team and played a crucial role in the team’s Euro 2020 campaign that saw them reach the final before narrowly missing out on penalties to Italy.
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When fit, he plays every game for Dortmund in all competitions and has displayed a number of exquisite performances in the Champions League so far. He became a DFB-Pokal champion in 2021 as well as being awarded numerous Bundesliga individual honours.
Following the conclusion of the 2022/23 season, the battle for Bellingham will officially begin – and it’s expected to be a chaotic one. In 2023, he will still have two years remaining on his contract, and whilst there is no release clause included, it’s likely going to be a costly one to try and prise him away from the Signal Iduna Park.
