Man Utd news: Ten Hag alerted to ‘next Paul Scholes’ but club may need transfer miracle | Football | Sport
Former England boss Sven-Goran Eriksson claims that Jude Bellingham reminds him of Manchester United legend Paul Scholes. Red Devils manager Erik ten Hag may have a tough time landing the prodigious midfield maestro, however, with fierce competition threatening to leave United completely out of the running for his signature.
Scholes was a pillar of the United starting XI under legendary manager Sir Alex Ferguson, winning 11 Premier League titles and establishing himself as one of the finest midfielders of his generation.
Naturally, finding someone with the potential to match his exploits is high on every boss’ priority list, and Eriksson believes that Bellingham could become a player of Scholes’ calibre. Speaking to OLBG, the former Three Lions, Lazio and Manchester City manager said: “Jude Bellingham seems to have no nerves at all and has all the confidence in the world.
“He can dribble in tight situations and he’s an elegant player, he can drift away with the ball. I really like Bellingham.
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According to Sky Germany, fierce interest from Liverpool, Manchester City and Real Madrid has effectively left the Red Devils out of the running. United came close to signing Bellingham before he opted for Dortmund in 2020, with Ferguson even being drafted in to give him a personal tour of the training facilities.
However, Ten Hag may need a miracle for United to fight their way back into the transfer tussle with the aforementioned trio battling hard to gain an advantage. The Bernabeu is home to one of the most glamorous football clubs on earth, City can offer a reunion with Erling Haaland and Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp is supposedly in the midst of a personal mission to get the deal done.
Dortmund are reportedly preparing to cash in next summer, presuming an interested party meets their £130million valuation. Prospects of accepting a lower fee appear extremely slim after a sparkling World Cup campaign with England, during which Bellingham shone against the likes of Senegal, Iran and France.
Ten Hag addressed United’s midfield weakness as one of his immediate priorities after being appointed earlier this year, eventually plumping for Casemiro in a big-money deal, although it is thought that the Dutchman wouldn’t turn down the opportunity to add another quality player in the middle of the park.
