Jude Bellingham, who will turn 17 at the end of the month, is one of the most highly-rated youngsters in English football and has been attracting interest from big clubs across Europe.
He has been a key player for Birmingham City this season, playing 35 times in all competitions and scoring four goals for the Championship side.
The teenage midfielder has been touted as a generational talent and the likes of Manchester United, Chelsea, Bayern Munich and Borussia Dortmund have all been keeping tabs on him.
The Red Devils are keen on a £30 million move as Birmingham are adamant that they won’t sell their wunderkind for anything below that price.
Jude Bellingham was shown around the club’s training complex in March with his parents, who met Sir Alex Ferguson, Manchester United’s legendary former manager, along with executive vice-chairman Ed Woodward and transfer negotiator Matt Judge.
However, according to SportBild head of football, Christian Falk, Jude Bellingham has rejected the idea of a switch to Manchester United in favour of moving to Bundesliga outfit Borussia Dortmund. He told utdreport:
“The strong clubs in the Bundesliga, behind Bayern, offer talented English players a chance to play, even internationally. Bellingham will therefore also go to Dortmund, not United. You will see. Our information is that he has chosen Borussia Dortmund.”
Christian Falk
It does sound like a sensible decision for Bellingham, who is still in his developmental years.
Jude Bellingham could follow Jadon Sancho example
Dortmund are known for developing youngsters and providing them with frequent first-team opportunities, with Jadon Sancho being a prime example.
Despite showing promise, Sancho failed to break into Manchester City’s first-team and subsequently joined BVB in the summer of 2017.
The 20-year-old, who is now a regular in the England national team, is considered one of the most valuable youngsters in world football and has been heavily linked with a move back to the Premier League, with the likes of Manchester United, Manchester City, Chelsea and Liverpool all credited with showing interest in him.
Sancho is one of the many young players who have flourished at the Signal Iduna Park in recent years, and that might have played a key role in Jude Bellingham’s decision to move to Germany.
Another factor which could have tilted the decision in Dortmund’s favour is Manchester United’s strong midfield.
With internationals such as Bruno Fernandes, Paul Pogba, Fred, and Scott Mctominay all plying their trade at Old Trafford, Bellingham would have struggled for playing time, something which the German giants might offer aplenty.
Such has been the quality of the 16-year-old’s performances against much older and experienced players in the second tier of English football, that he was inevitably linked with a big-money move to a top club.
At the moment, signing for Dortmund seems like the logical decision for both the player and Manchester United, and here’s why.
Although BVB are renowned for developing young talents, they struggle to keep them at the club for long.
So, if Jude Bellingham indeed chooses Dortmund over Manchester United, the Red Devils could always try and lure him to Old Trafford in a few years’ time.
What’s more, they would be getting a more seasoned player than they would have, if the youngster moved to the club in the upcoming transfer window.
However, the football transfer market is unpredictable and anything could happen. So don’t be surprised if Manchester United ultimately end up winning the race for Jude Belligham’s signature this year itself.
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