Man City add Jude Bellingham to wish list - and will challenge Liverpool for transfer

City are have turned their attention to Bellingham but realise they will have to beat some of Europe's top teams to land him - including Liverpool, who are interested in a deal

Posted Sunday, September 12, 2021 by Dailystar.co.uk

England teenage ace Jude Bellingham is on Manchester City’s wanted list.

With their Brazilian midfield general Fernandinho now 36 and only on a one-year extended contract, the Premier League champions’ search for a long-term successor is well underway.

And Borussia Dortmund star Bellingham, 18, is fast emerging as City’s first-choice to fill that pivotal role.

Etihad boss Pep Guardiola has identified the ex-Birmingham City starlet as being the best potential candidate around Europe for that job.

That follows Bellingham’s impressive emergence on the world stage with Gareth Southgate’s England.

Bellingham celebrates scoring for Dortmund at Leverkusen this weekend

He already has eight Three Lions caps and that, allied to his consistently decent displays in Germany, means he is in massive demand.

City are just the latest to join the queue - with Liverpool, Chelsea and Bayern Munich among the group planning a major transfer scrap for the £80million-rated Bellingham.

Daily Star Sport revealed last week that Liverpool want to sign Bellingham next summer in what could prove to be a club-record £80m deal.

Jurgen Klopp has made the England sensation his No.1 target.

But Anfield bosses will have to make him the club's most expensive ever signing ahead of Virgil Van Dijk if they are to prise him out of Borussia Dortmund.

Klopp wants to strengthen his midfield with a statement signing and the German boss believes Bellingham is the ideal fit for his team.

Bellingham snubbed a move to the Premier League with Manchester United in the summer of 2020 in favour of joining Dortmund from Birmingham City in a £25m deal.

Since then he has gone on to establish himself as one of the best teenagers in world football and his value has rocketed.

He was part of the England squad that reached the final of Euro 2020 this summer and is expected to be instrumental to Gareth Southgate's assault on the World Cup in Qatar next winter.

It is understood Bellingham is happy at Dortmund and will not agitate for a return to English football.