All eyes are on where Jude Bellingham will decide to play football next season.
Stay at Dortmund
This is not a ridiculous suggestion. Bellingham is not the finished article and is potentially going to be captain next season if he remains in Germany. While he is there, he is also able to operate slightly under the radar.
It’s not quite sealed yet but Dortmund are almost certain to be in next season’s Champions League and are in with a shot at winning the Bundesliga this term to end Bayern Munich’s 10-year dominance.
The fact he is an automatic pick should not be overlooked. Dortmund are one of Europe’s biggest clubs and while Bellingham will doubtless have a wide choice of options should he decide to leave, at Manchester City or Real Madrid, the pressure to perform every week is fierce and those who cannot live up to expectations can be quickly rotated out of the starting line-up and even moved on.
Bellingham will be a fabulous player but there is a lot to be said for waiting a year before he joins another European heavyweight.
Manchester City
Given their status, it is quite natural City should want Bellingham. The experience of England team-mate Kalvin Phillips, who has struggled since a big money move from Leeds and Jack Grealish, who this season has started to fulfil his £100m price tag, should not put him off.
Bellingham backed his talent when he joined Dortmund, why not do the same now? It would be interesting to see where he would fit into Pep Guardiola’s side because he likes running from deeper positions, as opposed to City’s precise passing game.
However, the Blues have tweaked their system to accommodate striker Erling Haaland and Bellingham is one of the best young players in the game, so Guardiola could make further tactical changes.
Real Madrid
The name itself is bound to be an attraction. Bellingham moved to Germany, so evidently is not worried about playing abroad and, for many, Real Madrid is the ultimate test. There is also so much experience in the present midfield to learn from with 37-year-old Luka Modric and 33-year-old Toni Kroos.
There may be uncertainty over who will be coach at the Bernabeu next season given how far off Barcelona they are in La Liga and manager Carlo Ancelotti being linked with the vacant Brazil job but Bellingham will know it is sure to be someone with an impressive pedigree in charge.
However BBC Sport understands Real do not want to spend more than £70m on Bellingham, while the midfield is not a priority position they need to reinforce just yet. Alongside Modric and Kroos they have 20-year-old Eduardo Camavinga, Aurelien Tchouameni, 23, and Federico Valverde, 24.
What about Manchester United, Arsenal, Chelsea or Newcastle?
There is not a team in the world who would not want to have Bellingham in their squad. It is fair to assume Manchester United manager Erik ten Hag and Newcastle counterpart Eddie Howe would respond positively to signing the teenager. The big sell for both would be that, while Manchester City and Real Madrid offer ready made success, at either Old Trafford or St James’ Park Bellingham would be a central figure in a push towards a higher level then either has reached in recent seasons.
Chelsea are bound to be linked, on the basis that they have signed so many young players already. However, that fact, coupled with the knowledge they need to get rid of quite a few of their current squad to avoid financial fair play punishment having spent more than £550m on new players this season, plus the absence of Champions League football next season would seem to rule out a move this summer.
Arsenal are an interesting option. Thomas Partey, Granit Xhaka and Martin Odegaard have been the cornerstone of their title drive this season, so it would seem they are not in dire need of reinforcements. Yet Bellingham is so good – and Mikel Arteta builds his squad around younger players, that it is easy to see how he could fit in.
View on Merseyside
Giulia Bould, BBC Radio Merseyside
Despite being linked with a move for Bellingham seemingly since the young midfielder could crawl, Liverpool have now decided to cool their interest with the fingers of blame pointing firmly at the club’s owners.
It is thought the Borussia Dortmund player’s star has risen so high that the price tag of £100m plus is just too much for Fenway Sports Group.
After taking a quadruple fight right to the bitter end last season, the lacklustre campaign for Jurgen Klopp’s side this time has highlighted the frailty of an aging squad and a failure to recruit properly.
Fans were already frustrated at their midfield woes but the Bellingham news is shifting the focus on to how their club is being run.
Many have asked why FSG held out believing they would snap up the 19-year-old in the coming transfer window only to back out now. It had been indicated that the Reds had not splashed huge sums previously because they were sure they would land Bellingham.
Supporters were already growing tired of the transfer policy and now they have big questions about the strategy going forward.
