Blow for Chelsea as Borussia Dortmund have renewed hope of keeping Jude Bellingham beyond this season
According to 90min (h/t The Express), Premier League giants Chelsea have been dealt a blow in their pursuit of Borussia Dortmund star Jude Bellingham.
The 19-year-old is one of the finest young footballers in his age group. Bellingham has taken his game up a notch this season, scoring nine goals and assisting two more in 21 games across all competitions.
Bellingham’s performances have also garnered the attention of fellow Premier League behemoths Manchester United and Liverpool. Chelsea already had a difficult road to landing him and it has now got even harder.
Dortmund have seen Bellingham develop from a promising teenager into a potential world-class talent. The German club have seen several top players impress at the Westfalenstadion before moving elsewhere. The latest being Erling Haaland last summer.
However, there appears to be some optimism among the Germans that the 19-year-old will stay beyond next summer. It would be a statement of sorts given the clubs clamouring for the midfielder’s signature.
Worth over £100million, Bellingham will not come cheap. If anything, Dortmund’s willingness to retain him will make it even harder. A strong World Cup showing could see even more teams join the fray.
The player, for his part, will not make a decision until the World Cup is over. Given that he is far from the finished product, it can be argued that Bellingham could stay on and further refine his game, before moving elsewhere.
The Germans are open to the player penning a new deal that will see him stay put until 2024. Perhaps curiously, it could also include a release clause that might work out for us in the long term. For now, he remains a Dortmund player and how that might differ come January remains to be seen.
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Chelsea are in need of a midfield overhaul that could become a priority come next summer. In Bellingham, they can have an excellent player who can future-proof the roster and also provide proven quality. A world-class player in the making, landing him would be a statement from Todd Boehly and co.