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The race to sign Jude Bellingham's superstar teammate at Borussia Dortmund, Erling Haaland, is set to be the biggest transfer story of the summer.
However, it is highly likely that once Haaland and Kylian Mbappe's futures are sorted out this summer, Dortmund's 18-year-old English midfielder could become the hottest property in world football.
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The central midfielder caught the eye of Europe's elite clubs when he became the youngest player ever (16 years and 38 days) to represent Birmingham City. A frantic battle to secure his signature ensued, and Borussia Dortmund came up trumps, shelling out £22.5 million for Bellinghman in 2020.
Jude Bellingham has followed Jadon Sancho's footsteps at Borussia Dortmund
Bellingham's career trajectory so far bears resemblance to that of his countryman Jadon Sancho. The Manchester United star left English shores to join Dortmund in 2017 for £7 million at the age of 17. Four years later, he was worth over ten times that amount.
Like Sancho, Bellingham has flourished in the Bundesliga. He has ten goals and 16 assists in 80 games for Dortmund. The midfielder, who appeared 44 times for Birmingham City, has also been capped ten times by England.
Bellingham's scouting report described him as 'versatile and unpredictable'. Despite his tender years, he appears to have the potential to develop into a complete midfielder capable of scoring, assisting and winning the ball back. At 18, he is only beginning to scratch the surface of his enormous potential.
Dortmund's underwhelming 2021-22 campaign saw them eliminated from the UEFA Champions League group stage. They finished third in a winnable group, behind Ajax and Sporting Lisbon. The Bundesliga side then followed it up with an embarrassing exit in the Europa League knockout round playoffs against Rangers (6-4 on aggregate).
Dortmund also look set to finish behind Bayern Munich in the Bundesliga again. They are currently ten points behind their rivals, despite having two games in hand. On that note, here's a look at five teams that could attempt to prise away Bellingham from Dortmund this summer:
#5 Manchester United
In 2020, The Athletic's Raphael Honigstein reported that Manchester United came close to signing Bellingham before Dortmund's intervened. The young Englishman even visited Old Trafford, with Sir Alex Ferguson and Eric Cantona present.
United were even willing to pay £2.5 million more than Dortmund's successful bid for the player. Two years later, the Red Devils are on the verge of a midfield revamp. The likes of Nemanja Matic, Paul Pogba, Jesse Lingard, Donny van de Beek and Juan Mata could all leave at the end of the season.
However, it remains to be seen whether Bellingham will be interested in a return to English football. Transfermarkt values Bellingham at £67.5 million, which makes it likely Dortmund will demand a fee in the region of £80 million at the very least, especially as he is under contract till 2025.
#4 Bayern Munich
After seeing several of their biggest stars, including Mario Gotze and Robert Lewandowski, snapped up by Bayern Munich, Borussia Dortmund recently turned the tables. BVB lured Bayern defender Niklas Sule to Signal Iduna Park, where he will arrive at the end of the season on a free transfer.
Could Bayern Munich hit back by stealing yet another Borussia Dortmund talent? The Bavarians could certainly use Bellingham, considering Corentin Tolisso could leave the club and new signing Marcel Sabitzer's indifferent form and injury woes.
However, Bayern Munich are hardly known for spending big. They will likely be reluctant to splurge a massive amount on a player who could be tempted to return home to England in the future.
#3 Manchester City
The Athletic's Laurie Whitell reported in 2020 that Manchester City were 'tentatively interested' in signing Birmingham City's young star. With Ilkay Gundogan and Kevin De Bruyne in their 30s and Fernandinho in the twilight of his career, it is safe to assume the Cityzens' stance has not changed.
Although an increasing number of British youngsters are moving abroad, rumours always link them with an inevitable return home. If Bellingham does indeed wish to play in the English top flight, Manchester City could be a likely destination.
The English giants could comfortably afford Dortmund's asking price and the player's wage demands. City manager Pep Guardiola is arguably the world's best when it comes to improving midfielders.
However, City's priority is a striker, and they are expected to chase Erling Haaland in the summer. In that case, it would be tricky for the Manchester-based club to pull off two deals in the £100 million range in a single window.
#2 Paris Saint-Germain
PSG are no strangers to signing the best and most well-known players on the planet. Interestingly, though, they do not appear to be in the running to sign Erling Haaland. The Paris-based club are also at real risk of losing star man Kylian Mbappe for free at the end of the season.
Glamorous signings and PSG are a match made in heaven, and it would not be a surprise to see them make a splash in the summer window. What better way to respond to this season's disappointment than by signing arguably the hottest young talent in the game?
PSG's midfield is in dire need of reinforcements. The likes of Julian Draxler, Danilo Pereira, Ander Herrera and Idrissa Gueye have underperformed and could move on in the summer. This is a potential pairing that could benefit both parties, as PSG's midfield would receive a huge boost.
Bellingham, meanwhile, could get an opportunity to rub shoulders with some of the finest players of the era, such as Lionel Messi, Neymar, Sergio Ramos and Marco Verratti.
#1 Liverpool
In December last year, The Atheltic's James Pearce confirmed what was already an open secret by then. Liverpool and Jurgen Klopp are huge admirers of Bellingham but will have to break their transfer record to land the English teenager.
Pearce said that Dortmund's asking price was £90 million, which would eclipse the £75 million the Reds paid for Virgil van Dijk in 2018. Reports continue to suggest Klopp rates the English midfielder very highly, and Liverpool were touted as a potential destination for him throughout the winter window.
The Reds are approaching the end of a cycle. Many of their key players, including Mohamed Salah, Sadio Mane and Virgil van Dijk, are entering their 30s. Klopp's work with midfielders is well-documented, especially improving their off-ball ability and work rate.
Bellingham, who is already a well-balanced player, could add an extra dimension to his game by making a move to Merseyside. Whether Liverpool's notoriously thrifty ownership are willing to break their transfer record is another question.
