Chelsea remain interested in a deal to sign Borussia Dortmund midfielder Jude Bellingham despite the club’s record-breaking spend.
Bellingham is the most in-demand midfielder in world football and is set to be subject of approaches from several of Europe’s top clubs this summer.
Liverpool, Manchester City and Real Madrid are viewed as the favourites to sign the 19-year-old, though Chelsea have not given up hope of persuading Bellingham to Stamford Bridge.
The Blues retain an interest in signing the teenager despite their record-breaking recent spend and the Telegraph are reporting that Chelsea will do ‘everything in their power’ to make themselves an option for the midfielder.
The report says that Todd Boehly and Behdad Eghbali have ‘worked hard to establish contacts and relationships with representatives of Bellingham’ ever since their takeover of the club last since and ‘quickly identified the England international as a top target’.
Chelsea have spent more than £500m since last summer’s transfer window, including a £106.8m British record deal for Benfica’s Enzo Fernandez last month.
Any deal for Bellingham is expected to surpass that figure and it remains to be seen how Chelsea could sanction the transfer, having been placed on UEFA’s Financial Fair Play watch-list.
The absence of Champions League football would be another blow to the club’s hopes of a deal and Graham Potter’s side face an uphill task to secure a top four finish. Chelsea are tenth in the Premier League table and ten points adrift of the Champions League places having won just one of their last seven league games.
Chelsea will come up against Bellingham in the Champions League on Wednesday evening, as the west Londoners face Dortmund in the competition’s last 16.
