After months and months…and months of speculation, Jude Bellingham appears to have decided his next move.
Manchester City had genuine hope that they could persuade the 19-year-old to continue his career under the watchful eye of Pep Guardiola, but Real Madrid now look to be closing in on a deal after holding further talks with his representatives.
Bellingham’s stock is perhaps the highest of any footballer in the world. Tipped for greatness on the world stage, he’s had City, Real and Liverpool in the palm of his hands over the past 12 to 18 months, with each club putting forward their case that joining them would give him the best possible platform to showcase his talent.
City’s argument is pretty compelling. They have Kevin De Bruyne and Erling Haaland on their books – undoubtedly two of the best players in the world – and an overall squad that is the envy of every team in England and almost all in Europe.
They also have Guardiola at the helm until at least 2025, with his reputation as the world’s top coach continuing to soar as City’s dominance, which could yield a first Champions League success in June, continues.
But with Bellingham now out of their grasp, City must regroup and plan their next steps. Not only is a move for the future of England’s midfield not happening, Bernardo Silva is pushing for an exit from the Etihad Stadium this summer and club captain Ilkay Gundogan could be joining him – the 32-year-old is out of contract and has attractive options to find a new challenge.
That leaves City, potentially, needing to rebuild a core part of their midfield, though luckily their extensive scouting of the transfer market means they are not short of options after missing out on Bellingham.
Age: 24
Club: West Ham United
With just two years remaining on his contract this summer, the time for Declan Rice to leave West Ham appears to be now.
The 24-year-old is a star turn in both the defensive and box-to-box midfield role, and although he doesn’t offer the same level of attacking threat that Bellingham does, his overall game is incredibly impressive and more than suitable for a team competing for honours.
Excellent at intercepting the ball in the passing lanes, Rice is also brilliant on the ball – he has superb close control, a burst of pace that rarely sees him outrun in midfield, and the ability to drive forward into space and be a threat in the final third (check out his goal…
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