BORUSSIA DORTMUND are set to break their transfer record for £30million Birmingham star Jude Bellingham – but how long will it be before they sell him for three times that.
The Bundesliga giants are said to be beating Manchester United and Chelsea in the race to land the 16-year-old midfielder.
Dortmund are set to break their transfer record to sign Bellingham – and they’ll already be thinking about making a profit down the lineCredit: Getty
Borussia Dortmund have a reputation of buying low and selling high – and it may just be holding them back
And they will have to break their club record fee of £27.5m – on Mats Hummels last summer – to land their man.
These days it seems Dortmund are always the bridesmaids and never the bride, perennially missing out on the Bundesliga title to Bayern Munich.
Dortmund haven’t won the top-flight since 2011-12, having won it just three times this century.
And while they are incredible at unearthing young talent, their selling mentality may be holding them back.
Hummels, for one, was sold to Bayern Munich at the peak of his powers, where the centre-back spent seven trophy-laden years.
He was then bought back cheaper than he was sold.
Sound familiar? That’s because they did the very same thing with Mario Gotze.
The Germany playmaker was sold for £33.3m at the height of his career, before being brought back for nearly half the price three years later.
The latest hot transfer news coming out of the Westfalenstadion revolves around England star Jadon Sancho.
The wing wizard, 19, was signed from Manchester City’s youth team in 2017 and quickly established himself as one of their top players.
Sancho cost Dortmund just £8m, which at the time seemed steep for an unproven youngster.
But 88 games, 31 goals and 11 England caps later and the Three Lions star is one of the hottest properties in Europe.
He’s now being eyed up by a host of European giants, including Manchester United, with the latest reports suggesting he will cost at least £122m.
And then, of course, there’s Erling Haaland – this season’s footballing sensation.
After a red-hot start to life at Red Bull Salzburg, Haaland was chased by seemingly every club on the continent.
Thanks to his outrageously low release clause, Dortmund managed to land the goal-machine for just £18m – and he’s scored nine goals in just seven Bundesliga games.
The Norwegian also has two goals in his sole Champions League appearance for the club as they left it late to beat Paris Saint-Germain 2-1 in the last-16 first-leg.
However, the Germans are ALREADY planning their life after Haaland.
On signing the superstar striker, 19, they negotiated a £63m release clause in his contract.
That may not seem like such a big deal, with a host of European clubs inserted a similar clause in players’ deals.
HAAL BE OFF, THEN
What is odd about Haaland’s, is that Dortmund ensured it cannot be triggered until 2022.
That way the club know they will get a solid two-and-a-half years out of the forward and then allow him to move on to pastures, seemingly, greener.
It’s either that or force any club to pay well over the odds, possibly into the hundreds of millions, to lure him away.
Real Madrid are tempted to sign the Norwegian already, if reports in Spain are to be believed.
And you’d better believe Dortmund are already thinking about cashing in, despite Haaland signing on until 2024.
Now for Bellingham, will he follow Sancho in his startlingly rapid start to his career?
In England, he would almost certainly be caught in a logjam behind a host of established stars, particularly at the likes of Liverpool or Manchester United.
But in Germany, they appear to allow youngsters a run in the time and give them a chance to shine away from the prying eyes of English fans who crave success at the drop of a hat.
Willing to break their club record for Bellingham, Dortmund are clearly very keen on the midfielder’s talents.
And they certainly wouldn’t break the bank to such an extent if they didn’t think they could swing a monster profit out of it in the future.
Dortmund have for decades been a hugely successful, competitive club – but their lack of trophies compared to Bayern Munich is telling.
Their ability to find talented youngsters should be applauded, as despite their selling mentality they are forever fighting for glory in the Bundesliga and, occasionally, the Champions League.
But until they decide to fight to keep their top talent through the prime years of their career, they’ll continue to be the bridesmaid waiting for their own big day.
Birmingham boss Pep Clotet can’t guarantee Jude Bellingham won’t join Man Utd after £30m transfer bid
Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk
