Jude Bellingham will have a huge decision to make in the summer transfer window as Chelsea, Liverpool, Manchester City and Real Madrid prepare to fight it out for his signature. Bellingham's close friendship with Jordan Henderson and Trent Alexander-Arnold has sparked speculation that he prefers a move to Anfield.
The Borussia Dortmund star's family are said to also prefer him to join Jurgen Klopp's squad, with the Liverpool boss openly praising Bellingham in the media. Chelsea star Reece James is close with the 19-year-old but the Blues' form this season could see them miss out on the Champions League, which would significantly dent their chances of signing Bellingham.
The England international revealed that City forward Erling Haaland is still in regular contact with him, and Bellingham may use a similar method to the Norwegian striker to decide his next club. Dortmund could demand a fee in excess of £100million for their star midfielder with his contract not set to expire until 2025.
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However, Bellingham could be on the move for just £60million if a sensational reported secret release clause is genuine, and that would be bad news for Chelsea in their hopes of signing the midfielder. Dortmund want at least £100million - possibly even more - for the England ace, but according to the Daily Mail, Bellingham's Dortmund contract allegedly has a shock £60m release clause included.
That would make the Three Lions World Cup star affordable for the many more clubs interested in the 19-year-old, and Chelsea could lose out as a result. Should the Blues trigger that apparent release clause, it may still not be enough to convince the youngster to head to Stamford Bridge.
Liverpool are close to completing a £37million transfer move for PSV star Cody Gakpo, a player that Chelsea and Manchester United had considered making a move for. This would have taken a significant amount of money away from investing into a deal for Bellingham, but now it seems he could be available for half the price Dortmund are looking for.
Todd Boehly has flexed his financial power since completing a £4.25billion takeover at Stamford Bridge, and it would have given the Blues a slight edge over their rivals in the race to sign the 19-year-old. However, if Bellingham does in fact have a £60million release clause or signs a new deal that includes one, similar to how Chelsea were able to agree a deal for RB Leipzig star Christopher Nkunku, they may end up missing out on one of the most talented players of his generation.
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