Dortmund sensation Jude Bellingham is one of the hottest young players in world football. However, as was the case with Jadon Sancho and Erling Haaland, the consensus is that it is merely a matter of time before the Englishman leaves for pastures new.
The German giants are known for selling their talents to the continent's biggest clubs and Bellingham is no different, with interest increasing from all over Europe. Nonetheless, two powerhouses look to be leading the race and they are Real Madrid and Liverpool.
The Reds are in dire need of a midfielder, and with the Three Lions talent being identified as the perfect candidate for Klopp's side next summer, expect the Merseyside giants to do their best to bring the 19-year-old to Anfield.
Los Blancos, on the other hand, have already signed two other young, highly-rated midfielders in the form of Eduardo Camavinga and Aurelien Tchouameni. Meanwhile, Federico Valverde, who is only 24, continues to impress, meaning the addition of Bellingham would hand the Spanish giants a world-class crop of midfielders yet to hit their prime.
Unfortunately for both clubs, Dortmund's asking price looks to have been revealed and to no one's surprise, the German side want a hefty fee in order to sanction this transfer.
Jude, who has three more years on his Signal Iduna Park deal, will reportedly cost a whopping €150M ($148M) to sign, according to German tabloid Bild. Given the length of his contract, BVB will have the upper hand when it comes to their teenage sensation.
This asking price could be a huge blow for Liverpool, a club known for running a tight business despite their tremendous success under Jurgen Klopp. Will the Merseyside giants cough up that huge fee or opt to explore other more economical options?
Real Madrid, on the other hand, were willing to splash the cash for Kylian Mbappe prior to his decision to remain with PSG. However, given the presence of Kroos, Modric, Camavinga, Tchouameni, and Valverde, it remains uncertain whether Florentino Perez will cut such a tremendous cheque for another midfielder.
Manchester City have also been linked with interest, which is interesting, given that Ilkay Gundogan is out of contract this summer. The Cityzens do not suffer from the same financial constraints as Liverpool, meaning Guardiola's men could sign another world-class player for Dortmund for the second year running.
