Borussia Dortmund have reportedly placed a €150m (£132m) asking price on in-demand midfielder Jude Bellingham ahead of the summer transfer window.
The 19-year-old is set to become one of the most sought-after midfielders heading into the 2023-24 campaign, with a host of top European clubs said to be keen to win the race for his signature.
Premier League quartet Liverpool, Manchester City, Manchester United and Chelsea have all been credited with an interest along with Spanish giants Real Madrid and French champions Paris Saint-Germain.
Bellingham has developed into a star player and a leader at Dortmund since joining from boyhood club Birmingham City for around £25m in the summer of 2020.
The England international has contributed with 20 goals and 24 assists in 119 appearances for BVB across all competitions, including 10 strikes and six assists in 29 games so far this season.
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Bellingham's rapid rise on the global stage has understandably attracted the attention of a number of elite European clubs, and the midfielder is allegedly set to inform Dortmund of his desire to leave at the end of the season.
According to The Athletic, Dortmund have 'consistently made it clear' that they will only entertain offer of €150m (£132m) for Bellingham.
The report adds that the German club are under no pressure to sell the Englishman, who is under contract until June 2025, but they are 'unlikely' to stand in the player's way if he requests to leave.
Dortmund sporting director Sebastian Kehl recently insisted that the club are still hopeful of keeping Bellingham for "as long as possible", but has admitted that it could "wishful thinking."
"Of course we're trying to keep Jude Bellingham at Borussia Dortmund as long as possible," Kehl told Ruhr Nachrichten. "He's an incredibly important player who has shown once again this season how he identifies with this club and makes the team better.
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"I would also like to still have Erling Braut Haaland or Jadon Sancho at Borussia Dortmund. Because you can only imagine if we had managed to keep all three players in one team, what opportunities would then arise."
Kehl added: "Things develop due to market mechanisms. So of course, I have my thoughts and also have my wishful thinking. I can't say whether [Bellingham staying] will happen in the end.
"From Borussia Dortmund's point of view, the wishful thinking would be to keep a player of this quality at this club for as long as possible.
"We will always try everything to keep players of this quality at BVB – because we are ambitious, because we want to win titles. For this, we need not only good but outstanding players."
Bellingham is hoping to end the campaign with a Bundesliga winners medal as Dortmund are currently involved in a hotly-contested race for the title, sitting level on points at the summit with reigning champions Bayern Munich and surprise package Union Berlin.
Oliver Thomas
