Chelsea take shock lead in Bellingham transfer race
FT Desk
- 14 Oct 2022 08:08 BST
- 3 min read
The race for Jude Bellingham's signature is heating up, with Chelsea ready to pull in front of Liverpool and Real Madrid to sign the England midfielder.
Bellingham has emerged as one of the hottest properties in world football at Borussia Dortmund, and has already led the Germans out as captain in the Champions League at the tender age of 19.
He is currently rated at €78 million by Football Transfers' in-house algorithm, and Dortmund were previously reported to be willing to accept €93m for their young star provided they received the fee in one instalment.
Jude Bellingham vs Man City 🎯
Is Bellingham headed to the Premier League this summer? 🤔pic.twitter.com/wyVqOdu1Ao— Football Transfers (@Transfersdotcom) April 14, 2022
But Chelsea are set to go a good few better, with Bellingham seen as the future of England's midfield and a player who, at 19, fits new owner Todd Boehly's "Vision 2030" project like a glove.
"Chelsea are willing to pay more than €100m to beat competition from Manchester and Spain," report German newspaper Bild. "There have long been contacts with the Bundesliga side, who have a sum of €120m in mind in order to sell their star."
Haaland influence?
Both Manchester sides covet Bellingham, with City perhaps having an ace in the hole with Erling Haaland, his former Dortmund teammate, working hard to persuade him to join him at the Etihad.
Real are understood to be a large part of the reason Bellingham is yet to extend his contract at the Signal Iduna Park which runs until 30 June 2025, and Chelsea have already lined up deals for RB Leipzig pair Christopher Nkunku and Josko Gvardiol.
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But Bellingham's path into the Chelsea first team is perhaps clearer than at any other major club. N'Golo Kante and Jorginho are both out of contract at Stamford Bridge next summer, and the Blues want cut Denis Zakaria's loan deal from Juventus short.
And having spent €300m this summer, Boehly clearly won't be daunted by dropping another €100m on Bellingham.
