Manchester City look set to miss out on signing Jude Bellingham this summer, but according to a transfer expert, they won’t actually be too disappointed.
Jude Bellingham is one of the best midfielders in the world right now, so it follows that City are interested in signing him.
At just 19 the England international plays with a technical ability and maturity well beyond his years, something City have witnessed first-hand when facing Borussia Dortmund in the Champions League.
With Ilkay Gundogan’s contract set to expire at the end of the season and Bernardo Silva’s future uncertain, City could be set for a midfield overhaul.
Bellingham was believed to be at the top of Pep Guardiola’s summer shopping list, but according to multiple sources including Fabrizio Romano, the teenager is close to joining Real Madrid instead.
City beat out the Spanish giants to the signature of Erling Haaland last summer, but this time around it looks like Madrid have won the race.
The expert view
While that does cast City’s midfield makeover plans into doubt, according to transfer expert Dean Jones, there could be a silver lining to missing out on Bellingham.
“The belief is that Bellingham is going to be earning £400,000-a-week [at Real Madrid]”, Jones told the Ranks FC podcast.
“I think Man City would very much have liked Bellingham, but it wasn’t everything for them. There are other fits that are potentially even better out there.
“Bellingham, they would have had to adapt things to fit him in, but he would have been a good signing obviously.”
MCN view: Bellingham isn’t the be-all and end-all
Jones is right – Guardiola would have had to do quite a bit of reshuffling to fit Bellingham into his side.
With City losing a midfield body this season in order to accommodate Haaland in attack, Pep has been extra careful not to field too many direct, transition-style attackers.
City may now be better at attacking through transitions because of Haaland, but Guardiola still wants players who can slow games down and give his side the control he craves.
The manager has rarely fielded all four of Haaland, Kevin de Bruyne, Julian Alvarez and Phil Foden in the same team this season, so it’s difficult to see how Bellingham would have fitted in.
That said, City will need to sign a new midfielder this summer, possibly two should both Bernardo and Gundogan depart.
Who are the other ‘potentially better’ candidates?
Lots of City fans don’t seem to like the idea, but Mason Mount could be a realistic option.
The Chelsea man has one year left on his current contract, and is a proven smooth operator at the highest level.
He might lack the ‘pausa’ of Gundogan and Bernardo, but at 24 he has ample time to improve that aspect of his game.
Celta Vigo youngster Gabri Veiga is being linked with every big club at the moment, and for good reason.
The 20-year-old has burst onto the scene in La Liga this season, scoring nine goals and providing four assists in 31 league outings.
The attacking midfielder is a raw talent, but with a reported £35m release clause, he could be well worth investing in.
Alexis Mac Allister is an obvious Premier League-ready option, but it now looks like Liverpool are favourites to sign the World Cup winner.
After what happened with Marc Cucurella last summer, negotiations between City and Brighton might not have gone too smoothly.
