Manchester United have been hit hard in their transfer plans as World Cup star Jude Bellingham has already decided that his next club after Borussia Dortmund will be La Liga giants Real Madrid.
That’s according to Spanish outlet AS, who claim the 19-year-old has no intention of returning to the Premier League.
Despite intense interest from Liverpool, Chelsea, Man City and United, Bellingham reportedly believes that returning to England would not help his development as much as moving to another major European country.
And Real Madrid seems to be the ideal destination for both the midfielder and his club, as Dortmund president Hans-Joachim Watzke enjoys a good relationship with the whites.
The Bundesliga club has had preferential access to several of Madrid’s best young players, including Achraf Hakimi and Reinier.
It is believed that an offer of around €120m would be enough for the La Liga side to secure Bellingham’s signature. Her future
Erik ten Hag is known to be a big fan, seeing in him the ball-carrying ability that led Man United to go after (unsuccessfully) FC Barcelona’s Frenkie de Jong in the summer.
However, given that Bellingham had already turned down the Red Devils before moving to Germany, and now that the player can choose virtually any club in Europe, a move to Old Trafford may never really have been among the options.
The midfielder recently appeared to slam the door on such a move, abruptly saying “No” when asked by a fan if he would move to United.
Bellingham’s move to Madrid could well be taken as a positive by United fans, as it would at least mean they won’t have to watch the player become one of their biggest rivals.
Such a situation has already occurred with Erling Haaland, whom the club attempted to sign prior to his move to Dortmund, and now leads City’s line.
The hope now will be that United can properly bolster both midfield and attack with players who can step up and thrive under Ten Hag.
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