A group of top English clubs hoping to sign Jude Bellingham next summer have been dealt a blow after the England midfielder reportedly agreed a new Borussia Dortmund contract.
Chelsea, Manchester United, Manchester City and Liverpool have been linked with the 18-year-old, who enjoyed a remarkable breakout season last term in Germany.
But 90min reports that Dortmund have no plans to sell the teenager, who has already agreed to extend his stay at Signal Iduna Park.
A clause in Bellingham’s contract was triggered on his 18th birthday in June, which saw his wages doubled to around £100,000 per week and the length of his deal extended by two years to 2025.
The quartet of Premier League giants have maintained regular contact with Dortmund over a possible future signing, but the German club have no intention of selling him in 2022, when their star striker Erling Haaland looks likely to depart.
Bellingham is happy at the club and doesn’t appear likely to force a move ahead of the 2023 World Cup in Qatar, where he will hope to be part of Gareth Southgate’s plans.
It’s little wonder that some of the Premier League’s biggest clubs are keeping close tabs on Bellingham, one of the most exciting English youngsters around.
His £22.75m move to Dortmund from Birmingham City at the age of 17 last summer caught the eye, but was fully justified after a superb debut season.
The central midfielder soon established himself as a first-team regular and ended 2020/21 with four goals and four assists in 46 appearances in all competitions.
That was enough to convince Southgate to name the teenager in his Euro 2020 squad, where he made three appearances from the bench.
Bellingham’s rise is showing no sign of slowing down this season, as he scored one goal and set another up in a 3-2 win over Hoffenheim before the international break.
Subscribe to FourFourTwo today! Guarantee the finest football stories and interviews dropping on your doorstep first every month.
FREE TRANSFERS 20 big stars out of contract next summer
QUIZ! Can you name every country that Harry Kane has scored against for England?
