The next phase of the Manchester United rebuild under Erik ten Hag could take center stage in the Ruhr valley as the Red Devils reportedly are targeting Borussia Dortmund wunderkind and England starlet Jude Bellingham as their number one transfer priority.
Those reports come from Sky Germany’s Florian Plettenberg earlier today, detailing United’s desire to make a play for the 19-year-old budding superstar with Ten Hag wanting to add him to his new regime at Old Trafford in the summer despite the club having to stump up somewhere in the region of £130m and would constitute a Premier League record transfer fee.
X News #Bellingham (1): He’s the transfer target No. 1 for #MUFC confirmed! They expect him to cost around €150m, they have scouted him a lot. Ten Hag wants him in 2023! But: Chances are low due to competition from #MCFC and #LFC and due to Financial Fairplay! @SkySportDE 🏴
— Florian Plettenberg (@Plettigoal) November 7, 2022
Bellingham is expected to play a key role for Gareth Southgate’s England at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar as the Dortmund midfielder has shone for club and country this season, earning him a likely place in the Three Lions’ XI on the back of impressive outings of late in the UEFA Nations League.
But if United is to secure Bellingham’s signature, it will not be easy due to not only the serious interest coming from Premier League rivals Manchester City and Liverpool – who will be under new ownership after FSG has put the club up for sale – but also due to possible Financial Fairplay considerations given the club’s recent spending this summer.
X News #Bellingham (2): On the other hand #LFC is very optimistic to get him in 2023! He’s is also the main target, Klopp is pushing for him & Liverpool wants to invest in summer. They expect him to cost €100m + X. Hardly any chances: PSG, Barca, Bayern. @Sky_Marc @SkySportDE 🏴
— Florian Plettenberg (@Plettigoal) November 7, 2022
Moreover, also reported by Plettenberg is the notion that Jürgen Klopp’s Reds feel confident of securing Bellingham’s services in the summer as Liverpool also views the youngster as their prime transfer mission in 2023 as the Anfield outfit is in desperate need of quality reinforcements in the center of the park.
With the club bound for new ownership in what will likely be long before the window rolls around, Klopp is primed to have the full financial backing of new owners who will almost certainly want to spend to put Liverpool back on track after what has been a disappointing 2022-23 campaign where the club currently sit outside the top six and have looked a shadow of their recent self.
