Man City believe Jude Bellingham will turn down £100m transfer to Real Madrid and Liverpool to work with Pep Guardiola

PEP GUARDIOLA and the Manchester City hierarchy are determined to win the battle over Jude Bellingham.

Real Madrid believe they are leading the race for the £100m-rated England midfielder, SunSport revealed on Wednesday.

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But Etihad sources believe the prospect of a collaboration with Guardiola will sway the Dortmund star’s decision in their favour.

Bellingham, 19, is wanted by the world’s biggest clubs – including Liverpool, Manchester United, Chelsea and Paris Saint-Germain.

Trent Alexander-Arnold and Jordan Henderson tried to convince Bellingham Anfield was the right place for him while they were in Qatar for the World Cup.

The Birmingham City youth product has been Kop boss Jurgen Klopp’s top target for more than a year and is well aware of how much the German wants to work with him.

When asked about a move in January, Klopp said: “I’m the wrong person to ask if Jude is available in January.

“The January window? We’re looking and if something happens, we’ll see. We’re always prepared in terms of sport.”

SunSport also told how United boss Erik ten Hag is planning a £200m crackdown on Bellingham and Barcelona’s Frenkie de Jong.

City believe they can seal a Bellingham deal as Guardiola signs to stay until 2025 and also has a chance to reunite with his old Borussia Dortmund pal Erling Haaland.

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All his suitors have been told that Bellingham will put football reasons ahead of money when choosing his next club.

He is expected to leave Germany in the summer and City are poised to break the £100m British transfer record they paid to Aston Villa for Jack Grealish in the summer of 2021.

Bellingham is valued at £130m by Dortmund if the deal is structured with tiered payments, like most mega-money moves.

However, it is understood he could leave for as little as £83million if the full fee is paid upfront.

City see Bellingham’s signing as the ideal way to reshape their midfield going forward.

Ilkay Gündogan, 32, has no contract in the summer.

And Bernardo Silva is unsure about his future as Barcelona tried to sign him last summer.