Man Utd won't sign Jude Bellingham as Liverpool, Real Madrid and Man City battle for £129m star - Paper Round
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Updated 07/12/2022 at 09:43 GMT
Manchester City, Liverpool and Real Madrid lead the chase for Borussia Dortmund midfielder Jude Bellingham, with Manchester United no longer in contention to sign the teenage England international next summer. Elsewhere, Barcelona are scouting Gabriel Martinelli as Arsenal may be forced to sell at a reduced price, and Arsenal could sign a striker this January.
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Liverpool, Real and City want Bellingham
Manchester United will not attempt to sign Jude Bellingham this summer, according to the Sun, but there are three teams who still hope to pull off the transfer. Liverpool, Real Madrid and Manchester City are all keen on the England teenager who has been exceptional in Qatar, but they may be faced with an asking price of up to £129 million to land the player.
Paper Round’s view: Liverpool, Real and City are perhaps the three biggest clubs in European football at the moment and each of them would be able to find room for him in the middle of the pitch in their first teams. At £129m, he is certainly not coming cheap, but his age means he could contribute to the team he joins for at least the next decade, and maybe more.
Real may wait for Bellingham
Jude Bellingham’s recent performances may have seen the 19-year-old’s value rocket to 150 million euros, which would mean that Real Madrid cannot afford him, according to a report in Spanish newspaper Marca. With a contract that ends in 2025, Real are considering waiting until he can be bought as a free agent, instead of trying to prise him from German team Borussia Dortmund.
Paper Round’s view: Bellingham looks to be an exceptional talent, and as well as Paris Saint-Germain, Liverpool and others will also likely be keen. Waiting for three more years to sign him for free when Real’s ageing midfield will soon see plenty of turnover is a risk for Real, so they may not have the luxury of time. If they could afford Kylian Mbappe, they might need to find a similar package.
Barcelona scouting Martinelli
Arsenal may have to act quickly to get Gabriel Martinelli to agree to the new four-year deal they have been discussing. The 21-year-old Brazilian international has been impressing at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, and while he is there, Barcelona continue to track the player. At the end of the season he will have a year left on his contract, which might see him sold at a reduced price.
Paper Round’s view: Arsenal have assiduously built a decent squad with plenty of options on the wings, but with Martinelli’s potential they will not want to lose him for any sum, and certainly not a low one. It appears Martinelli is happy to stay in London, but the club need to make sure that given he is rapidly improving, he does not fail to sign a contract and attempt to leave in a year or two.
Arsenal may miss out on Mudryk
Arsenal have been linked with Mykhaylo Mudryk in recent weeks but the 21-year-old Shakhtar Donetsk winger may have to wait for his move. Valued at about £21m, he would take a portion of Arsenal’s £50m winter budget. Mikel Arteta now may have to focus on adding a striker after his Brazilian forward Gabriel Jesus suffered an injury that may require surgery.
Paper Round’s view: Jesus had been at the heart of Arsenal’s excellent form so far in the season, and if they lose him for a lengthy period then it might not just derail their nascent title challenge but also their hopes of securing Champions League football next year. They will need to find a player who is capable of leading the line and available for a relatively low fee - never easy.
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