Liverpool are still in the race to sign Borussia Dortmund midfielder Jude Bellingham, as per journalist Ben Jacobs.
Writing for Caughtoffside, the CBS Sports journalist shared that Manchester City and Real Madrid are the other two primary contenders for the highly-rated England international, while Manchester United are also showing a keen interest.
Man Utd are prioritizing signing a top-class striker in the summer, and adding Bellingham on top of that means they will have to break the bank if they want to land two marquee signings.
Furthermore, it remains unclear at the moment whether the Glazers will remain in charge of the club or not, and who will become the next owner at Old Trafford if the Americans decide to sell up.
David Ornstein reported on The Athletic earlier this month that Liverpool are losing ground in the race to sign Bellingham, but Jacobs says that the Reds still have a great chance to land him. In fact, they have put in the “most legwork to date”, developing a close tie with the player’s father, Mark.
Bellingham also shares a good bond with Liverpool duo Jordan Henderson and Trent Alexander-Arnold, but the Reds will have to pay over £100m for his signature.
What’s next for Bellingham?
The 19-year-old is an insanely talented midfielder and he is a leader, both on and off the pitch. He has been very consistent with his performances for both club and country and would be an ideal signing for the Reds who are looking to revamp their midfield options.
The likes of Naby Keita and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain are set to depart following the expiry of their contracts, while James Milner and Fabinho are facing uncertain futures as well.
Dortmund are under no pressure to sell Bellingham and they are still trying to convince him to extend his deal at the club, in order to further inflate his price.
United do need to bolster their midfield, and Bellingham would add tremendous depth and quality to the side. However, they first need to sign a striker, and the likes of Harry Kane or Victor Osimhen (their top targets) would cost over £100m.
Jurgen Klopp remains a long-time admirer of Bellingham but the club’s budget could be affected if they fail to secure Champions League football next season.
With Man City and Real Madrid also in the running, it’s going to be fascinating to see how things develop over the coming weeks ahead of the summer window.
