Borussia Dortmund have clarified their asking price next summer star Jude Bellingham, who has emerged as a transfer target for Liverpool.
Liverpool have been credited with an interest in Bellingham on a number of occasions in the past, with Jurgen Klopp thought to be a big fan. Meanwhile, rivals Manchester City and Manchester United are also admirers of the Englishman, while Real Madrid have emerged as frontrunners for his signature next summer.
The Reds are among the leading clubs hopeful of landing the England international, who previously spent some time on Merseyside when he was playing at Under-11 level. He had a two-day trial at the club's Kirkby academy and impressed, enjoying a tour of the facilities but no transfer materialised.
The race for Bellingham’s signature is continuing to hot up with a summer exit from Dortmund appearing to be increasingly likely – with the German club open to selling the star this summer, a year after Erling Haaland left the club for Manchester City. Several of the continent’s leading clubs are continuing to monitor the midfielder’s situation with performances for club and country continuing to excel.
A report in German outlet Bild has now concurred with information from The Athletic from September that Dortmund are going to demand a whopping £129million for Bellingham’s signature. Marca say that Real Madrid are confident that they can bargain such a fee down to £86million - some difference of £43million
Mirror Football understands that Real Madrid are likely to prove a major obstacle for the Reds and their domestic rivals with the Spanish club gaining confidence in their hopes of landing the talented central midfielder next summer.
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The European champions have been tracking Bellingham since his time at Birmingham City and the player is aware of their long-standing interest. The midfielder was informed directly by the Spanish club this summer that they would move to sign him next summer, and not to renew his Dortmund deal or seal an exit from the Bundesliga this year – advice which he followed.
Madrid’s signing of Aurelien Tchouameni from Monaco and the arrival of Eduardo Camavinga, complementing the resurgence of Fede Valverde – have given Los Blancos plenty of midfield options. Luka Modric and Toni Kroos are likely to require greater rotation in the seasons to come, while Dani Ceballos is likely to leave Real Madrid next summer.
When Bellingham was quizzed on his future prior to Dortmund's Champions League clash with Manchester City earlier this season, the teenager explained: "The club have done loads for me and made me feel very welcome since I first came and gave me the opportunities to develop even further. To look past that and into the future would be disrespectful. It's not something I am thinking about, to be honest."
