Liverpool and Chelsea both made an approach to sign Borussia Dortmund midfielder Jude Bellingham this summer.
With Erling Haaland leaving Borussia Dortmund for Manchester City this summer, Bellingham stood little chance of being allowed to leave this summer, if that was ever his intention.
Selling two of their star players in one transfer window was understandably not of interest to Dortmund, but Bellingham wasn’t short of interest in the last few months.
According to Fabrizio Romano, speaking exclusively to CaughtOffside via his Substack column, both Chelsea and Liverpool made an approach to sign Bellingham this summer.
Dortmund have never considered allowing Bellingham to leave the club, but Romano does expect multiple clubs to be in the race to sign him next summer, if Dortmund allow him to move.
Liverpool and Chelsea are both likely to be in the market for a midfielder in the next 12 months. Jorginho and N’Golo Kante have entered the final year of their contracts for Chelsea, and the likes of James Milner and Jordan Henderson are reaching the latter stages of their career for Liverpool, so midfield reinforcements will be necessary in the near future.