Transfer Talk: Man United to enter the race for Bellingham
Janusz Michallik defends Erik ten Hag for sticking with a strong lineup in Manchester United’s win over Real Betis. (1:36)
The January transfer window may be closed around Europe, but teams are looking ahead to the summer and there’s plenty of gossip swirling around. Transfer Talk brings you all the latest buzz on rumours, comings, goings and, of course, done deals!
Manchester United are ready to join the race for Borussia Dortmund midfielder Jude Bellingham, with the England international still uncertain on his future, according to the Telegraph.
The report reveals the Red Devils will join Manchester City, Liverpool and Real Madrid in the pursuit for the 19-year-old’s signature, with Borussia Dortmund valuing Bellingham at a minimum of £110m. The German outfit are still hopeful of keeping Bellingham at the club, for at least one more season, however interest is rife across many top clubs in Europe.
– Stream on ESPN+: LaLiga, Bundesliga & more (U.S.)
– Read on ESPN+: Data picks the world’s best male player
Finances could limit Man United’s chances of signing the former Birmingham City midfielder, however, with the club eyeing a high-profile striker as their priority this summer. Despite this, it is believed manager Erik ten Hag is aware that he must strengthen in midfield if Man United are to mount a serious challenge for the title next season. The report states that Ten Hag regards the teenager as a generational talent, who could become captain in the future.
Liverpool have also been heavily linked with Bellingham, with the Reds expected to undergo a midfield overhaul in the summer with the likes of Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain and Naby Keita set to depart Anfield. However, a potential stumbling block for Liverpool could be the lack of Champions League football next season, with manager Jurgen Klopp’s side currently sitting six points outside of the top four, albeit with a game in hand over fourth-placed Spurs.
Manchester City also have a strong interest in Bellingham and could top any bid made with the potential transfer out of Bernardo Silva helping to fund this.
– Declan Rice is being considered by Chelsea as the Blues hunt for a defensive midfielder in the summer, according to Sky Germany‘s Florian Plettenberg. With the England international entering the final 12 months of his contract at West Ham United, the Hammers may be forced into a sale this summer to avoid losing the 24-year-old on a free transfer. However, Rice was also heavily linked with Arsenal in January, meaning Chelsea will likely face stiff competition to sign the Englishman.
– Al-Ittihad will attempt to sign Eden Hazard in the summer, if they cannot secure the services of Wilfried Zaha, according to Ekrem Konur. It has been reported that Al-Ittihad offered Zaha a lucrative offer for next season, however the Crystal Palace forward is said to be considering his options, with a move to a top club in Europe desired. As a result, Real Madrid‘s Hazard could be an option for the Saudi Arabia side, with the Belgium international out of contract next June, forcing Los Blancos into a transfer in the summer if they wish to profit from their deal with the 32-year-old.
– Juan Foyth and Vitor Roque have been earmarked as two high-priority signings for Barcelona in the summer, as the Catalan giants look to limit summer spending, report AS. Due to financial troubles, alongside the need to stay within LaLiga‘s Financial Fair Play rules, Barcelona are thought to only be considering signing two players for a fee. The report reveals that Villarreal‘s Foyth has a release clause of €54m, whilst Roque could set the Spanish giants back €40m. Barcelona will attempt to reduce the financial damage of both, with the inclusion of installment payments.
– Victor Osimhen is eager to move to the Premier League, with Manchester United and Chelsea interested, however Bayern Munich are also keen on the Napoli striker, reports Florian Plettenberg. The tweet reveals that whilst the 24-year-old is not against a move to the Bundesliga giants, it is unlikely that a deal will materialise due to the financial arrangements of a potential transfer. Instead, a move to the Premier League looks more likely, as many clubs in the English top-flight look to sign a high-profile striker in the summer transfer window.
– Manchester United are prepared to offer Internazionale a swap deal to secure the services of Denzel Dumfries by offloading Victor Lindelof to the Italian giants, as per Football Insider. The report states that United could not afford a deal for Dumfries in January, and with Inter believed to be admirers of Lindelof, a swap deal is seen as an ideal arrangement for both clubs. With Milan Skriniar set to join Paris Saint-Germain in the summer, defensive reinforcements are a priority for Inter in the upcoming transfer window.