Manchester United are considering a January offer to sign Borussia Dortmund midfielder Jobe Bellingham, according to Spanish website Fichajes.
The Red Devils are likely to bolster their midfield department during the winter transfer window, and they have already been linked with multiple names in recent weeks.
Bellingham is one of them, and Fichajes claim that Man United are considering an offer worth £44 million to bring him to Old Trafford when the transfer window reopens.
Contact has already been made and Dortmund would be prepared to accept a significant fee, having signed him for around £29 million from Sunderland earlier this summer.
However, there could be a roadblock in negotiations with Bellingham not keen on joining a club without Champions League football.
Unlikely deal
Bellingham had a productive Championship campaign with Sunderland last term. He registered seven goal contributions from 43 appearances en route to their their top-flight promotion.
The midfielder could have joined another Premier League club over the summer, but made the switch to Dortmund. The move has not proved worthwhile thus far amid his struggles for playing time.
Bellingham has made only four starts in his 12 appearances in all competitions. The midfielder bagged two assists against Copenhagen in the Champions League last week, but was back on the bench versus Koln in the Bundesliga.
There has also been a strained relationship between Dortmund sporting director Sebastian Kehl and Bellingham’s father and agent Mark. The latter took an exception to his son’s half-time substitution in the curtain-raiser.
Dortmund could be prepared to sell him off for a profit this winter, but we doubt whether United will make such an outlay. Bellingham has yet to prove his credentials in the Bundesliga and has played just 209 minutes so far.
United have shown more caution when it comes to big-money deals. They negotiated with Brentford for several weeks to lower the valuation for Bryan Mbeumo. Keeping this in mind, we don’t see them splashing the cash on Bellingham.
Even if they hold a genuine interest in signing the 20-year-old, the hierarchy may not offer more than the £29 million fee which Dortmund paid to prise him away from the Black Cats during the recent summer transfer window.
