Chelsea have joined the race late for Jude Bellingham and are attempting to play catchup, according to the Telegraph .
The London club - recently acquired by Todd Boehly and Clearlake Capital - have attempted to make contact with the 19-year-old's camp, despite being informed that both Liverpool and Real Madrid are at the forefront. The Reds have been long-time admirers of the teenager and are heavily interested in bringing him to Anfield.
Madrid - who pipped Liverpool to the £85million signing of Aurelien Tchouameni this summer - emerged as the main transfer rivals once again. However, American owner Boehly still believes he and his team have plenty of time to make a big play for the midfielder, with Borussia Dortmund looking likely to sell their £130million-rated star at some point over the next 12 months.
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The Blues are currently without a sporting director - having seen Christoph Freund opt to stay at RB Salzburg insead joining - and Boehly is shouldering the burden of forging relationships at both club and player level in the interim. Both Liverpool and Madrid have spent months doing exactly that, according to the report, and are some way further along in any potential deal.
Bellingham has come to the centre of the fore once again during the international break, excelling against Italy and Germany alongside Declan Rice in the clearest sign yet that Gareth Southgate has nailed down that position. Rice described his midfield partner as the ‘future of English football’ after the 3-3 draw against Germany on Monday, while Southgate praised the teenager’s ‘top-level mentality’ earlier on.
Similar performances during the World Cup are likely to alert Manchester City, who may also seriously consider a move in the near future. As it stands, however, they and Chelsea are still some way off the last season’s two Champions League finalists.
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