Manchester United are in the market for a new midfielder, and the list of targets is growing by the week, with Jobe Bellingham beginning to reappear after a slow start to life at Borussia Dortmund.
It was a busy summer as Manchester United welcomed five new signings to the club and said goodbye to several players Ruben Amorim deemed surplus to requirements.
United overlooked the need to sign a midfielder after losing Christian Eriksen at the end of his contract. That has led to Amorim persisting with Bruno Fernandes and Casemiro as a double pivot in his midfield this season, overlooking Kobbie Mainoo’s potential as a starter.
United have been linked with Adam Wharton and Carlos Baleba since the summer, with both midfielders having Premier League experience following exciting breakthroughs.
Jobe Bellingham could be available in January
After impressing for Borussia Dortmund in the Club World Cup, Jobe Bellingham hasn’t had immediate success in the Bundesliga, being limited to just 187 minutes of action thus far.
This led to a report from the Daily Mail that Bellingham’s father has been banned from the club’s dressing room after he confronted head coach Niko Kovac after he substituted the 19-year-old at half-time.
Bellingham has made nine appearances for Dortmund this season, but he will be aiming to build on that between now and January before the transfer window opens.
Like his brother Jude, United missed out on Bellingham as he joined Dortmund. It is now understood that United are staying aware of his situation in Germany.
Speaking on The United Stand YouTube channel, respected reporter Ben Jacobs shared an update on Bellingham’s future and suggested he could become available mid-season if things don’t improve.
Jacobs said: “Jobe Bellingham’s situation is very interesting, Manchester United’s interest is historical. I think Crystal Palace actually are a bit more active, he’s maybe agitating a bit more to get a chance mid-season in some capacity and we have to understand how Dortmund react to that. He may be a surprise name available in some capacity.”
What has Niko Kovac said about Jobe Bellingham’s playing time?
Kovac’s response to Bellingham’s playing time was pretty blunt.
Rather than offer an explanation for not giving the young English midfielder more time on the pitch, Kovac stressed that every player wants more minutes in the team.
“Everyone wants to play more,” Kovac told Kicker. “Everyone wants to play every minute, but then you only need eleven players.
“When you sign a contract here, it’s not only well paid but it also means that there’s a hell of a lot of competition.”
Bellingham’s future is one to keep an eye on.
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