Manchester United legend Peter Schmeichel believes his former side has taken all necessary steps towards attracting elite talents to Old Trafford again following an almost decade-long struggle.
In an interview with GOAL, the former goalkeeper said the sought-after Borussia Dortmund starlet Jude Bellingham would be a ‘perfect’ signing for the three-time European champions.
The 19-year-old midfielder is a star in the making, but the competition for his services is as stiff as it gets, with Man City and Liverpool keeping close tabs on his development at Signal Iduna Park.
However, Schmeichel thinks Man Utd could have the upper hand on their fierce Premier League rivals, particularly in light of recent events.
“One of the things Jamie [Carragher] has said about Liverpool signing Jude Bellingham, he would be perfect for us, but we’re not attractive enough [right now] because we’re not in that position,” he said.
“But you can imagine a situation where Liverpool aren’t in the Champions League and Manchester United are, then all of a sudden, we might be more attractive.
“And of course with the situation of Man City as well, we might be that club, so it’s very important for us now to keep on track steadily.”
Very few things have gone the Red Devils’ way since Sir Alex Ferguson’s retirement in 2013, but Erik ten Hag’s appointment last summer has brought a long-awaited change in fortunes.
The Dutchman’s strict rules, aided by a raft of top-class signings, have moved Man United closer to the Premier League big guns as they currently sit third in the table.
In addition to a decent domestic campaign, Ten Hag’s men are still in the running for the Europa League trophy, although they’ll need to navigate a mammoth knockout round play-off tie against Barcelona first.
After years of suffering, optimism has become a regular commodity at the Theatre of Dreams again, while some of Man United’s long-standing rivals face uncertain futures.
With Man City staring down the barrel of severe punishment for ‘financial irregularities’ and Liverpool looking up the creek without a paddle, the Red Devils could be on the verge of restoring glory days.
Ten Hag’s transfer policy last summer proved a massive hit as all of his five signings – Casemiro, Lisandro Martinez, Christian Eriksen, Antony and Tyrell Malacia – enjoy prominent roles in his tactical set-up.
Luring top-notch stars to the red side of Manchester is potentially a crucial step towards re-establishing the club as a force to be reckoned with in the Premier League.
Landing a player of Bellingham’s calibre right under the noses of Man City and Liverpool would be a statement of intent, even though it’ll likely take north of £100 million to get Dortmund to give a green light.
Man United are familiar with the Bundesliga outfit’s stubborn negotiating skills after it took them nearly two years before they finally signed Jadon Sancho in 2021.
And while they’re still waiting for the 22-year-old winger to blossom in his homeland, there’s a feeling that it wouldn’t take too long for Bellingham to hit the ground running.
