Former Arsenal scout Francis Cagigao admits the Gunners could not afford Jude Bellingham when he was at Birmingham City while telling AS that he thinks the Borussia Dortmund star will become a £100 million footballer.
The phrase ‘broken the market’ has been flying around quite a lot of late. And usually in conjunction with Todd Boehly’s Chelsea.
If Benfica managed to sell Enzo Fernandez for £106 million just a few months after investing £10 million in the former River Plate starlet, how much will Borussia Dortmund demand for arguably world football’s most coveted midfielder?
Bellingham, after all, still has another two-and-a-half years left on his contract.
Arsenal wanted Jude Bellingham before he left Birmingham for Dortmund
Dortmund, The Mail say, are likely to demand ‘at least £130 million’. A fee that, if agreed, could make the England international world football’s fourth-most expensive player ever; after Neymar, Kylian Mbappe and Philippe Coutinho.
“I saw him for the first time when he was 16 years old,” admits Cagigao, who worked as a scout at Arsenal for nearly a quarter of a century. “I wanted to sign him for Arsenal, but he was already too expensive.
“He is very good. What is clear is that, if they paid that amount for Enzo, they are also going to pay for Bellingham.”
While winning the Premier League and qualifying for the Champions League would undoubtedly increase Arsenal’s pulling power and the financial might at Mikel Arteta’s disposal, Bellingham still feels a little rich in excess of £100 million. This is a battle that could be limited to a handful of the world’s most deep-pocketed superclubs; Real Madrid, Manchester City and, takeover-permitting, Manchester United.
Liverpool legend Danny Murphy would love to see Jurgen Klopp’s struggling side bring both Bellingham and Declan Rice to Anfield, though this feels like a pipe dream with under-fire owners Fenway Sports Group seemingly unwilling to break the bank.
“The midfield needs freshening up,” Murphy tells talkSPORT. “I would love Bellingham to happen because he is exactly what Liverpool need. But I don’t think they just need one. I think they probably need two.
“I’d go for Bellingham and Rice. I’d try and get them both.
“I don’t think they need anyone up front. You’ve got four centre-halves who (Klopp) quite likes, and they’re all on long-term contracts. Maybe a full-back, you could argue (is needed). But not a centre-back.
“So I think why not go hard or go home on two big ones, rather than four or five? Rice and Bellingham walking into that midfield with Thiago… (Bellingham) is a superstar.”
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