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Man Utd have a 'secret weapon' to win Jude Bellingham chase after Erik ten Hag comments
Manchester United boss Erik ten Hag could pursue Jude Bellingham when the transfer window reopens at the end of the season.
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Manchester United have a secret weapon when it comes to their pursuit of Jude Bellingham, according to reports. The England international is widely expected to leave Borussia Dortmund at the end of the campaign, with Real Madrid and Manchester City both in the mix to secure his signature. However, Erik ten Hag is thought to be an admirer and replied ‘why not’ when asked by fans to sign the 19-year-old on Sunday.
Manchester United had actually hoped to sign Bellingham back in the summer transfer window of 2020, back when Ole Gunnar Solskjaer was manager.
However, they ended up missing out to Dortmund despite showing the teenager around their Carrington training complex and introducing the youngster to the likes of Sir Alex Ferguson and Bryan Robson.
With United impressing under Ten Hag this summer, there’s talk of the Red Devils potentially pursuing Bellingham again - even if Manchester City and Real Madrid seem like frontrunners.
And the Daily Mail say the Red Devils have a ‘secret weapon’ in the race to land the England star in the form of Matt Hargreaves.
It was announced last month that Hargreaves would be the club’s spearhead for football negotiations.
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He is joining from adidas and Bellingham was actually one of the ‘major clients’ he represented during his time with the sports company.
With Hargreaves primed to assist when it comes to negotiating transfers in the near future, that could be useful for United.
And whether the Red Devils are able to acquire Bellingham come the end of the season is something only time will tell.
A blockbuster takeover is believed to be edging closer, with reports on Sunday saying Sir Jim Ratcliffe was on the verge of purchasing the club.
Though the Glazers would end up staying as part of the arrangement, the Red Devils would have more money to spend.
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Ten Hag was asked by a fan to land both Bellingham and Kylian Mbappe shortly after United’s narrow 1-0 win over Aston Villa on Sunday.
And the Dutchman replied by saying ‘why not’ before driving off, with his team now on the verge of qualifying for the Champions League.
United are seven points clear of fifth-placed Liverpool, having played one game less.
Meanwhile, former Red Devils star Gary Pallister implored his old side to land Bellingham when speaking in March - insisting he’d be a huge addition.
“Jude Bellingham is the one that everybody's looking at, obviously, and wherever he goes, it will give the club that he arrives at a huge shot in the arm because everybody wants him,” he said.
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“He's English. Technically, he's excellent. He's got a great drive to him by the looks of it.
“And I think every club's sort of letting it be known that they'd love to him to have him at their club.”
Pallister added: “I think they’ve taken great strides this year because of the fact that we’ve had Casemiro and Christian Eriksen in there.
“I think the two lads in midfield have brought a different dimension to Manchester United, which we possibly have not had for a few years.
“So that's ticked the box in there.
“If you add Bellingham to that as well, then wow.
“If they get one of their two centre-forward targets as well, then I think that sends out a big message to the rest of the Premier League that Manchester United can compete again with the very best.”
Bellingham is expected to feature when Dortmund lock horns with Wolfsburg on Sunday (4.30pm).
They currently sit second in the Bundesliga table, just a point behind defending champions Bayern Munich.