Arsenal are now reportedly ‘underdogs’ in the race to sign England international Jude Bellingham, though Liverpool and Real Madrid remain the favourites to land the 19-year-old wonderkid.
According to Bild, the north London club have emerged as potential contenders to sign Bellingham next summer, with Chelsea and Manchester United also in the conversation as the race for the Borussia Dortmund superstar continues to intensify with each passing day.
Bellingham has seen his valuation increase massively in recent weeks as the midfielder continues to shine at the 2022 FIFA World Cup with England, with the Bundesliga star scoring in the opening group stage match of the competition for the Three Lions and putting on an incredible shift against Senegal in the round of 16.
As per Bild, Dortmund now want €150m (£130m) in the summer transfer window as Bellingham looks set to become the most expensive English player of all time, smashing the record set by Jack Grealish last summer when the-then Aston Villa captain moved to Manchester City for £100m.
And now, Arsenal find themselves in the race to sign Bellingham, with the midfielder the exact sort of player Arteta wants to target for the central position heading into 2023. However, the teenager’s price tag will be a massive obstacle for the Gunners, even if they do manage to win the Premier League this season.
Indeed, Arsenal have been heavy spenders in the last three transfer windows, though this seems to be a massive one-off from the club’s owners in an attempt to completely overhaul the squad to Arteta’s liking. And because of this, signing Bellingham might be an impossible financial task for the Gunners.
Arsenal signing Bellingham is a dream not worth chasing for Arteta
Bellingham would be regarded by many Arsenal fans as a dream midfield signing, with the 19-year-old already one of the best in his position in world football and a player who could represent the north London club in the centre of the park for well over a decade. However, Dortmund’s price tag makes this fantasy nothing further than just that.
Moreover, with big clubs like Liverpool and Madrid also in the race to sign Bellingham alongside Chelsea, Arsenal could easily be outmuscled by their English and European rivals in the race for the midfielder, who might be one dream too far for the north London club at this stage.
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