Dortmund bid $160 million for Bellingham
The Athletic newspaper on February 24 reported that Dortmund had set a price of 160 million USD for Bellingham. If the transfer is successful, the 19-year-old midfielder will become the most expensive midfielder in the world. The current record belongs to Phillippe Coutinho, who moved from Liverpool to Barca in 2018 for $153 million.
Bellingham is said to be the target of six clubs, including Real Madrid, Man Utd, Man City, Liverpool, Chelsea and PSG.
Bellingham has grown from a young player to a star leader at Dortmund, after moving from Birmingham City for $30 million in 2020. The English midfielder has contributed 20 goals and 24 assists in 119 games for German team, including 10 goals and six assists in 29 games this season.
Bellingham also shined in England. At the 2022 World Cup, he even became the leader of the midfield, starting all five matches, contributing one goal and one assist.
The contract between Bellingham and Dortmund is valid until June 2025. Therefore, the German team is not under pressure to sell early. However, Dortmund will not stop if Bellingham wants to leave.
"We are trying to keep Jude Bellingham for as long as possible," said Dortmund sporting director Sebastian Kehl. "Things develop according to the market mechanism, but I also have my dreams. I also wanted to keep Erling Haaland and Jadon Sancho. Imagine if we tried to keep all three players, what opportunities would arise. We also have ambitions to win trophies. To do that, we need not only good players, but also excellent players."
Dortmund sold Sancho to Man Utd in the summer of 2021 for $ 90 million. A year later, they let Haaland go to Man City for $ 63 million.
Bayern, Dortmund and Union Berlin are leading the Bundesliga with 43 points after 21 matches. The three teams are only slightly better than each other. The last time Dortmund won the Bundesliga was in the 2011-2012 season. Since then, Bayern won 10 times in a row.
In the German Cup, Dortmund will play the quarter-finals with Leipzig on April 5. In the first leg of the 1/8 round of the Champions League, Dortmund beat Chelsea 1-0. The two teams will play the second leg in England on March 7.
