Man Utd transfer news: Red Devils add £30m "diamond" to midfield shortlist after regular scouting trips

Manchester United are stepping up plans for a major midfield rebuild this summer, with Jobe Bellingham now back on their shortlist of targets.

The Borussia Dortmund midfielder has re-emerged as a serious option after impressing during the second half of the season in Germany.

United are expected to sign at least two central midfielders this summer as INEOS prepare for the next phase of the club’s rebuild ahead of a return to Champions League football.

Jobe Bellingham emerges on Man Utd midfield summer shortlist

Bellingham was already under consideration by United last summer before he chose to join Dortmund from Sunderland in a deal worth around £30 million.

The 20-year-old initially struggled to adapt to life in the Bundesliga, but his form has improved dramatically under Niko Kovac, and he has now become a regular starter in Dortmund’s midfield.

Bellingham has started 18 of Dortmund’s last 20 matches and is increasingly viewed as one of the brightest young midfielders in Europe.

Per TEAMtalk, United are among several elite clubs continuing to monitor his progress closely, alongside Real Madrid and Paris Saint-Germain.

Man Utd have made regular scouting trips to Borussia Dortmund

The report also suggessts that United’s recruitment staff have maintained a strong presence at Dortmund matches throughout the campaign.

While Bellingham has become an increasingly frequent discussion point internally, scouts have also monitored several other Dortmund stars during those visits.

United have watched players including Daniel Svensson, Nico Schlotterbeck and Karim Adeyemi as part of broader recruitment work.

However, Bellingham’s rapid development has elevated him firmly back into the thinking at Old Trafford as United intensify plans to reshape their midfield options.

Jobe Bellingham is perfect for Man Utd’s next era

With Casemiro set to depart and major midfield changes on the horizon, Bellingham feels exactly the type of profile United should be targeting.

The England youngster blends physicality, technical quality and a maturity far beyond his years, and his ceiling remains extremely high given how rapidly he has developed over the past 18 months.

A future midfield partnership of Bellingham and Kobbie Mainoo would also align perfectly with the direction INEOS appear to be taking the club - a younger, more dynamic, and capable of forming the core of United’s next era.

Replacing an experienced figure like Casemiro will never be straightforward, but Bellingham has the mentality, athleticism and long‑term upside to become one of the centrepieces of United’s rebuild. His former Sunderland manager Tony Mowbray captured that potential perfectly, once claiming:

“He’s an absolute diamond. He just loves football and wants to get better. He tests the coaches every day. He’s got a real growth mindset. At 17, it’s unbelievable. Where he can be in five years’ time, I’m not sure, but I’m really pleased with him. His greatest asset is that he wants to learn.”

That hunger to improve, combined with his physical profile and tactical intelligence, makes Bellingham the kind of long‑term investment United should be prioritising as they reshape their midfield for the future.