Manchester United reportedly remain interested in signing Jude Bellingham and have made him a priority target for the summer of 2023.
According to Laurie Whitwell of The Athletic, Borussia Dortmund midfielder Jude Bellingham remains at the top of the wishlist for Manchester United. But an approach for the teenager will have to wait until the summer of 2023.
Bellingham burst onto the scenes at EFL Championship club Birmingham City and had a host of top clubs chasing after his signature, including Manchester United a couple of years ago. The 18-year-old was even shown around the club’s training facilities by the legendary Sir Alex Ferguson in a bid to convince him to move to Old Trafford.
However, Bellingham snubbed Manchester United in favour of a transfer to Borussia Dortmund and the move has worked a treat for the midfielder. In his two years in Germany, the teenager has cemented his status as one of the best young prospects in the game currently, establishing himself as a permanent fixture in the centre of the park for the Black and Yellows.
Bellingham has already made 90 appearances for Dortmund, racking up a return of ten goals and 18 assists. A regular in the England national team squad as well, the 18-year-old has already earned 12 caps for the Three Lions since making his debut in November 2020. He enjoyed a brilliant 2021/22 campaign, finishing with six goals and 14 assists from 44 games in all competitions.
A ball-carrying midfielder, Bellingham has caught the eye of the onlookers with his ability to make driving forward runs from the centre of the park and his ability to facilitate link-up play with his teammates in the attacking third of the pitch. The youngster’s unquestionable quality, despite his tender age, has meant that he continues to remain on the agenda for several top clubs across Europe.
Liverpool have identified Bellingham as a key target for 2023, while there has been interest from Manchester City and Real Madrid as well. And as per The Athletic, the 18-year-old continues to be at the top of Manchester United’s wishlist, with the Red Devils eyeing a move for the England international in 2023.
Manchester United are set to revamp their midfield options this summer, having bid goodbye to Paul Pogba and Nemanja Matic. It has left new manager Erik ten Hag with Fred and Scott McTominay as the frontline options in midfield, along with Donny van de Beek and James Garner, who are returning from their loan spells.
Manchester United are thus looking to add more quality and depth to their roster this summer itself, with Frenkie de Jong of Barcelona emerging as Ten Hag’s top target. Irrespective of whether they land the Dutchman, the Red Devils can do with another top-quality operator in midfield like Bellingham next year, who will likely have taken his game up a notch over the upcoming season.
However, signing him from Dortmund might be a tricky affair as Bellingham is tied to a contract until 2025, and the German giants have shown that they will extract top value for their players.
