Arsenal are unlikely to enter the race to sign Borussia Dortmund midfielder Jude Bellingham this summer, according to reports.
The England international is expected to be one of the most in-demand players in the upcoming transfer window with Liverpool, Real Madrid, Manchester City, Manchester United and Chelsea all monitoring the 19-year-old’s situation at Dortmund.
Arsenal, meanwhile, are set to be in the market for at least one new central midfielder this summer as Mikel Arteta has relied heavily on Thomas Partey, Granit Xhaka and Martin Odegaard this season.
The Gunners look almost certain to be able to offer any potential new signing the prospect of playing in the Champions League next season, an incentive which could influence Bellingham’s next move.
However, The Telegraph reports that there is no indication from Arsenal that they are ready to compete for Bellingham’s signature this summer.
The report claims that the price of Bellingham’s transfer – a fee likely to be in excess of £100 million plus a high salary – is likely to be a key factor behind Arsenal’s decision to not enter the race.
Another reason why Arsenal appear to be bypassing Bellingham is that they have made Declan Rice their top midfield target, and the Gunners could bolster their squad with two key signings for the same price as the Dortmund midfielder.
Speaking in February, former Arsenal scout Francis Cagigao revealed that he recommended the signing of Bellingham to the Gunners but the midfielder, who was at Birmingham City, was ‘already too expensive’.
‘I saw him for the first time when he was 16 years old,’ Cagigao told AS.
‘I wanted to sign him for Arsenal, but he was already too expensive.
‘He is very good. What is clear is that if a club have paid that amount for Enzo [Fernandez], a club is also going to pay that for Bellingham.’
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