Manchester United are in the race to sign Borussia Dortmund midfielder Jude Bellingham this summer, The Telegraph reports.
What’s the latest on Bellingham’s future?
The Red Devils have been linked with a move for Bellingham in recent months, with potential new owner Sheikh Jassim reportedly a “huge fan” of the player and eyeing a stunning swoop for the 19-year-old.
However, Fabrizio Romano said last month that United weren’t "actively working" on a transfer for Bellingham, citing the process of a potential takeover as a reason for not doing so.
It looks as if a move to Old Trafford over the coming months could be possible, though, with The Faithful MUFC relaying an update on Bellingham from Wednesday’s print edition of The Telegraph.
It shared how Premier League rivals Liverpool have conceded defeat in the race for the £115m midfielder, name-checking United as a club who are in the race for his services and ‘are on course to be financially reinforced by a return to the Champions League’. Chelsea, Manchester City, Real Madrid and Paris Saint-Germain are also eyeing a move of their own for the England international.
Why do Man United want a new midfielder?
A new midfielder and forward are thought to be the club’s transfer priorities this summer, with the latter a position that needs bolstering due to Anthony Martial’s injury struggles and Wout Wegorst only being on loan, with the club considering selling the former of the two forwards.
The Red Devils have also found themselves short in midfield this season at times, with injuries to the likes of Christian Eriksen and Scott McTominay and summer signing Casemiro missing plenty of Premier League games this year through suspension.
Marcel Sabitzer is also only on loan, so bringing in Bellingham, who is already valued at an incredible €120m (£106m) by Transfermarkt, could be an incredible piece of business in the long run.
He will turn 20 in June and can play in a variety of midfield roles, with former United captain Roy Keane describing Bellingham as a “superstar”. The Englishman has even been Dortmund’s best-performing player this season, as per WhoScored, outperforming both Bruno Fernandes and Casemiro.
Reporter Dr Constantin Eckner meanwhile has labelled Bellingham as "the perfect box-to-box player" with "no glaring weakness", with the teenager topping Dortmund’s charts for tackles made per 90, while also weighing in with four goals and four assists in the Bundesliga, showing how he could be a real shrewd signing both defensively and offensively under Erik ten Hag.