Man Utd ‘battle’ Liverpool, City for British record transfer – ‘minimum fee’ for Bellingham revealed

Football365

·16 March 2023

Man Utd ‘battle’ Liverpool, City for British record transfer – ‘minimum fee’ for Bellingham revealed

Man Utd are reportedly ‘ready to battle” the likes of Liverpool and Manchester City in the race to sign Jude Bellingham from Borussia Dortmund.

The Red Devils previously tried to sign Bellingham from Birmingham City before he joined Bundesliga outfit Borussia Dortmund.

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Since then, the teenager has established himself as one of the best young players in world football.

Bellingham is expected to secure himself a major transfer away from Dortmund this summer. He is under contract until 2025 so the German side are able to demand a huge fee for their prized asset.

Talk over Bellingham leaving Dortmund has been rumbling on for well over a year and it has consistently been reported that Liverpool and Real Madrid are the sides most likely to acquire the midfielder.

But The Telegraph are reporting that Man Utd are throwing their names into the hat for Bellingham as well.

Erik ten Hag’s side are ‘ready to battle’ their rivals for Bellingham, ‘with the transfer fee for the England international believed to have been set at a minimum of £110m’.

As things stand, this would be a new British record transfer. It would exceed the £106m fee that Chelsea paid to sign Enzo Fernandez from Benfica in January.

Man Utd are said to have ‘genuine interest’ in Bellingham, who is ‘yet to decide on his preferred destination’.

This is very much a nothing story so United fans should not get too excited. The Telegraph state that ‘it remains to be seen whether Man Utd will formally enter the bidding’.

‘Everything is open’ when it comes to Bellingham’s next move, but ‘finances may limit United’s chances’. The report adds.

‘Ten Hag is well-aware he will have to sell to help pay for any transfers this summer and with a top-line striker – such as Napoli’s Victor Osimhen or Tottenham’s Harry Kane, with one year left on his contract – a clear priority. However, he also accepts that United need to improve their midfield. ‘As with other coaches, Ten Hag is a huge admirer of Bellingham and regards him as a generational talent who can also become a future captain of the club.’

Man Utd are right to be interested in Bellingham if that’s the case, but they are likely acting too late on this occasion.

Liverpool and Real Madrid are said to have done the most legwork out of the clubs interested in Bellingham and this is likely to stand them in good stead when the 19-year-old makes his final decision.

The Telegraph may be quite vague with their information on Man Utd-Bellingham, but they suggest that ‘there has been a feeling within football that Bellingham may favour a move to Anfield’. Despite this, ‘other clubs do not accept this and discussions are ongoing’.