Man Utd handed Jude Bellingham transfer blow as Dortmund draw up contract plans
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Borussia Dortmund are preparing to offer Jude Bellingham a new contract, which could dash Manchester United’s hopes of signing the England midfielder for the foreseeable future, according to reports. The 17-year-old, who came on as a second-half substitute for the Three Lions against Croatia on Sunday afternoon, has turned plenty of heads since joining Dortmund from Birmingham City last summer.
Bellingham made a total of 46 appearances in all competitions over the course of his debut campaign, chipping in with four goals and four assists in the process.
His form earned him a place in Gareth Southgate’s final 26-man squad for Euro 2020, and plenty of clubs are said to have taken a liking to the playmaker as a result of his impressive showings.
United, Chelsea and Liverpool have all been mentioned in connection with Bellingham’s services in recent months, but the Red Devils are known to have a long-standing interest.
They attempted to pry him away from Birmingham a year ago but the teenager opted to join Dortmund, and it remains to be seen whether the 20-time Premier League champions will go back in for his services ahead of next season.
However, it seems as though United could be forced to wait even longer to stand any chance of bringing Bellingham to Old Trafford, with his current employers looking to keep him in Germany.
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Dortmund are gearing up to offer the midfielder a two-year extension that would see him tied down until 2025, according to Bild.
Bellingham already signed a three-year contract with the club upon his arrival in July of last year, and the report claims that he could be set to sign fresh terms after he turns 18 at the end of the month.
This would ultimately scupper United’s chances of signing him before the start of the new campaign, and suggests that Dortmund could demand a monumental fee for their man if the Red Devils decide to launch another bid in a year or two.
The player himself explained his previous decision to snub United back in November, admitting that he simply had his heart set on a move to the Westfalenstadion over anything else.
“Well, you know, Man United have a great squad but my decision had nothing to do with Man United,” Bellingham told The Telegraph.
“I was so focused and so happy with the interest from Dortmund that this became my first choice. For me, it was Borussia Dortmund and that’s it.
“When you find somewhere that’s the best place to be, you kind of ignore everything else, you know what I mean?”
Meanwhile, Watford captain and talkSPORT pundit Troy Deeney recently claimed that Bellingham has already justified his decision to reject a move to Manchester with his age-defying performances for Dortmund.
“When you see Bellingham now dictating games for Borussia Dortmund and looking so assured in the England midfield, you realise that this kid is genuinely special,” Deeney told The Sun.
“He is absolute mustard. Midway through last season, he was being strongly linked with Man United and I spoke to a couple of mates on the coaching staff at Birmingham about it.
“I thought it might be a bit too soon for him to make such a massive move, but those guys who worked with him said: ‘Absolutely, 100 per cent, he would go to Man United and play straight away’.
“In the end, Jude moved to Dortmund, deciding that youngsters are far more likely to start more big matches in the Bundesliga than in the Premier League.
“The same route taken by another English kid, Jadon Sancho, who was in Watford’s academy as a schoolboy. Both have been proved right.”
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