Featured Image Credit: Alamy / David Klein/Andrew Yates/Sportimage
Topics: Manchester United, Premier League, Erik Ten Hag, Birmingham City, Borussia Dortmund, Jude Bellingham, Real Madrid, Transfers
Ryan Smart
Topics: Manchester United, Premier League, Erik Ten Hag, Birmingham City, Borussia Dortmund, Jude Bellingham, Real Madrid, Transfers
Borussia Dortmund are interested in signing Manchester United starlet Hannibal Mejbri as a replacement for Jude Bellingham, according to a new report.
Bellingham is expected to depart Signal Iduna Park this summer to join Real Madrid, although German outlet kicker claim that Dortmund will stand firm and demand a base fee of €120 million to allow the 19-year-old to leave.
But Real are in pole position to secure his signature, with Sky Sports claiming a deal would be a record transfer fee paid for an English footballer.
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Should Bellingham leave Dortmund, the German club would have to source his replacement.
They have utilised the English market on several occasions over recent years, signing Jadon Sancho, Jayden Braaf and Jamie Bynoe-Gittens from the academy of Manchester City.
And they could turn to the red half of Manchester to sign another young talent, it has been reported.
According to German outlet HL-1, Dortmund are keen on signing midfielder Hannibal from United if Bellingham does leave the club this summer.
The Tunisia international spent the 2022/23 on loan at Championship side Birmingham City. Although not a regular starter towards the end of the campaign after returning from the World Cup, he impressed with his combative style.
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Hannibal, who can play in central and attacking midfield areas, only netted one goal in his 38 league appearances for the Blues, but it was one to remember. During a 2-0 win over West Brom in February, the 20-year-old caught Baggies goalkeeper David Button unaware andfired a free-kick low into the bottom corner of the net from 35 yards out.
Dortmund's interest leaves United boss Erik ten Hag with a dilemma. According to the Manchester Evening News, the Dutchman is planning to give pre-season opportunities to Hannibal, Alvaro Fernandez and Amad Diallo after impressive loan spells at Birmingham, Preston North End and Sunderland respectively.
Ten Hag now has to decide whether to sell Hannibal in order to gain profit to fund incoming transfers this summer, or keep the youngster at Old Trafford and give him the chance to impress next season.