Man Utd ‘want’ to break British transfer record to sign Real Madrid star with Ratcliffe willing to take ‘risk’ | OneFootball

Man Utd are keen to bring Real Madrid midfielder Jude Bellingham to Old Trafford as their summer marquee signing, according to reports.

The Red Devils spent around £200m on three attackers in the summer transfer window with Bryan Mbeumo, Benjamin Sesko and Matheus Cunha all joining.

Only four sides scored fewer goals than Man Utd in the 2024/25 campaign and INEOS saw attack as the key area to improve over the summer.

The Man Utd hierarchy faced criticism for their failure to bring in a new midfielder with the area an obvious weakness in the previous season.

There were enquiries made for Brighton’s Carlos Baleba and Atletico Madrid’s Conor Gallagher but neither of those potential deals came to fruition.

And now there are rumours that Man Utd will invest heavily over the next couple of transfer windows in that position as they look to give Ruben Amorim the backing he needs to move the Red Devils up the table.

INEOS and Sir Jim Ratcliffe are prepared to take a ‘risk’ financially to get the Red Devils competing for major titles once again and Bellingham ‘would welcome a return to the Premier League if the project is compelling’.

The report adds: ‘Manchester United’s interest is no coincidence. The English club is looking for a player capable of making a difference both on and off the pitch, a generational leader around whom to build their new sporting project. Jude Bellingham, a full England international and one of the most complete midfielders in the world, fits that profile perfectly.

‘The Old Trafford board believes the time has come to take financial risks to return to the European elite. The figure being discussed reflects this ambition: €150 million, which would not only break internal records but also send a clear message to the rest of the continent. Bellingham would be the central figure around which to reorganize the team, both in terms of its footballing style and its image.’

Former Manchester City star Shaun Wright-Phillips thinks the scrutiny from the media on England players could stop Bellingham returning to play in the Premier League.

Wright-Phillips told BestBettingSites: “If I was Jude Bellingham, I think it could put me off from playing in the Premier League, definitely. In England we seem to target a player ahead of a big tournament, like they’re dying to break one of them down.

“I’ve just never understood why. You want your players going into a tournament full of confidence. Arrogant, almost. You want them knowing and thinking they can win. The press should big them up, help them, not tear them down like this. The press causes problems and puts doubts in their head, and changes the way they think.

“I think if you change a player’s personality, you change how they play. That’s not always good. Far from it. I think the players need to just concentrate on what they’re doing. So if I was Jude, why would I come back when I can stay at Real Madrid and enjoy life at the same time, without bad press that comes for no reason.

“I think he’s the go-to man for England, and I sometimes do not understand why he is in the crosshairs. He’s not perfect, but he’s performing well for club and country. It’s not like he has some huge arrogant attitude, or plays badly. They should leave him be and let him prepare mentally.”