Manchester United target Jude Bellingham will be looking at Manchester City and Real Madrid rather than the Red Devils despite having friends at Old Trafford, believes journalist Steve Bates.
All three European giants are thought to be keen on the Borussia Dortmund midfielder, but Bates does not think United are on the same platform as the other two right now.
Man United transfer news – Jude Bellingham
CBS reporter Ben Jacobs recently told GiveMeSport that some expect United to make an aggressive push for Bellingham.
They will face fierce competition for the 19-year-old, though, with the Daily Mail stating that City, Real Madrid, Liverpool and Chelsea are all also interested in his services.
Bellingham’s price tag could be a problem, too, as the same outlet claims that Dortmund want at least £130m for their prized asset.
United strengthened their midfield in the last transfer window, bringing in Casemiro and Christian Eriksen, but Erik ten Hag does not appear to be completely satisfied with his current options.
Read more: January Transfer Window 2023: When Does It Begin, Rumours and Everything You Need To Know
What has Steve Bates said about Jude Bellingham and Man United?
Bates thinks Bellingham is more likely to join City or Real Madrid than United despite the England international having quite a few friends at Old Trafford.
Speaking to GMS, the journalist said: “I think if you’re Bellingham, you’ll probably be looking at a Manchester City, you’ll probably be looking at a Real Madrid.
“You’ll be looking at a big, big platform, and I don’t think United are quite there yet, although he’s obviously got friends within the Man United set-up from his time with England.”
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Who could Man United sign instead of Jude Bellingham?
Barcelona’s Frenkie de Jong still looks to be on United’s shortlist, so that is one name to naturally consider if they miss out on Bellingham.
According to BBC Sport, Ten Hag has not given up hope on signing his compatriot after failing to land him during the summer.
De Jong would be an incredible addition to the Red Devils’ squad, with the 25-year-old being a very effective midfielder. At the World Cup, he made 2.4 tackles per game, which was the third-highest average in the Netherlands’ squad, as per WhoScored.
De Jong also had the fifth-best pass success rate (89.1%), so it is easy to see that he brings a lot to the middle of the park.
If Ten Hag can convince him to move to Old Trafford, missing out on Bellingham probably would not be the end of the world. But after what happened in the summer, that if is obviously quite a big one.
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