Arteta told to fix Edu blunder by binning off five stars for Jude Bellingham
Mikel Arteta has been told to offload five players to help fund a sensational Arsenal swoop on Borussia Dortmund for Jude Bellingham.
After making a breakthrough at a young age with Birmingham City, Bellingham has been honing his craft with Borussia Dortmund. He has coped admirably with the step up to top-flight football, making 46 appearances last season. His form earned him a place in England’s Euro 2020 squad, where he became the youngest ever player to feature in the competition – although his record was broken within a week.
Reports this week have linked Liverpool with a sensational swoop for the midfielder. Indeed, that interest in the teenager has been verified by a trusted journalist, who claims a 2023 deal looks possible.
Indeed, should Dortmund ever give the green light to his sale, then Manchester United too will be likely suitors.
However, pundit Darren Bent claims it is Arsenal who should be doing all in their power to land Bellingham.
Furthermore, he’s called on the Gunners to bin off five players to raise funds for the teenage midfielder.
“I’d literally switch five players for him, I’d chop in five for him,” he told talkSPORT.
“[Granit] Xhaka, [Mohamed] Elneny, Cedric, [Bernd] Leno, [Calum] Chambers. There’s your five and I’d give you £50million on top to get him.”
Asked about his decision to move to Germany in the first place, Bent added: “It makes sense for his development. He’s got more game time, in the Champions League, at Dortmund than at [Manchester] United.”
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Edu ‘made Bellingham mistake’
Arsenal were reportedly close to landing Bellingham before Edu was appointed technical director, according to former skipper Tony Adams, before the Brazilian ballsed it up.
“I think it got lost this one in the transition of the chief scout,” Adams told Sky Sports last year.
“He was spotted very early on, not by me but by the Arsenal recruitment office. The chief scout was absolutely bowled over by him and the great prospect that he is.
“New sports director Edu came in from Brazil and had no European experience and no UK experience and I think it got lost in the transition.
“Unfortunately the chief scout had the deal kind of done but we missed that one. He’s a great talent but unfortunately he’s not joined the right club.”
Adams added: “They are the type of players we need to get hold of at the Arsenal if we’re ever going to develop and go forward.
“These kind of players we need to tie up, get them to the Arsenal and build a phenomenal league team. He’s a great talent but unfortunately he’s not joined the right club.”
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