Manchester City have joined the race for Jude Bellingham in the summer and are ready to compete with Real Madrid and Liverpool for him.
That’s according to Marca, who say Pep Guardiola’s side ‘appears on the scene’ for the England star, something which has been noted by the Spanish giants.
The newspaper explains that while there is ‘confidence’ at the Bernabeu that they can win the race for Bellingham’s signature, they know there is ever increasing competition for him.
Up to now it had appeared to be a straight shootout between Madrid and Liverpool but now Manchester City have ‘submitted credentials’.
Bellingham has ‘become the object of Pep Guardiola’s desire’ and City, using the vast economic power at their disposal, are ‘willing to beat’ any offer that is presented to Borussia Dortmund.
The Spanish side currently feel they have ‘the upper hand’ in an operation that now appears as if it will be rushed and resolved sooner than most had expected.
They will not break their salary cap for the midfielder but do feel Bellingham can be a player who will become the reference point in future. It is because of that they have set the ‘machinery in motion’ to sign him much earlier than expected.
A potential spanner in those works is City, who have ‘burst onto the scene’ to rival the main bidders. Indeed, Liverpool ‘seem to be deflating’ as a result and seem to be searching for alternatives.
At the moment nobody can claim to be at the front of the queue, with the ‘emergence’ of Manchester City complicating matters considerably ahead of a huge summer battle for Bellingham’s signature.