Jude Bellingham: Who is the £25m,16-year-old sensation Manchester United wants to sign?

The last time a 16-year-old made the shopping list of one of Europe’s top clubs was Martin Ødegaard, who was eventually snapped by LaLiga giants Real Madrid in 2015. Now 21, Ødegaard is currently on loan at Real Sociedad and showing the world why Fiorentino Perez was so desperate to give him a chance as a young kid.  So when another 16-year old prodigy Jude Bellingham shows pedigree way beyond his age, one can only wait and see at which top club will the teenager sign up for.

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Jude Bellingham to Manchester United: £25 million offer made for Birmingham City teenager

Jude Bellingham is reportedly a transfer target for Manchester United and the Premier League giants are willing to offer as much £25 million to get him on board. Cash-strapped Birmingham City, meanwhile, continues to organise a bidding war amongst football's most prominent teams with a possible hope of keeping the prodigy for another campaign. Bellingham, at all of 16, made his first-team debut for Birmingham City against Portsmouth in last season’s EFL Cup, breaking club legend Trevor Francis' record for the youngest debutant. Jude Bellingham is a typical modern-day midfielder, with a sheer amount of pace, skill and a particular eye for goal. 

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Jude Bellingham to Manchester United: Why should they buy him?

Jude Bellingham predominantly plays centre midfield but has the versatility to put in a shift at both wings as a defensive midfielder or even as a striker. Bellingham is 6 feet tall despite being 16 and his understanding of the game is far more mature than his peers. A fast-paced midfielder possessed with natural strength, Bellingham is a difficult opponent to come up against in the midfield and his skills might just blow one away considering his age. The midfielder accounts for a goal contribution every 3.3 games and averages 19 challenges per 90 minutes across all competitions for Birmingham City, which is more than Leicester City’s Wilfried Ndidi and matches World Cup winner N’Golo Kante’s tally. With Manchester United particularly thin in the midfield, Jude Bellingham looks to be a certain future signing. However, Birmingham City are only looking for a deal that helps them keep the teenager for at least 18 more months. 

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Jude Bellingham to Manchester United: Why is the reported transfer a perfect fit?

Jude Bellingham is the typical sort of midfielder Ole Gunnar Solskjaer is looking at. Since taking over the Premier League giants, the Norweigan manager is looking for a 'cultural reboot' and his prioritised the transfer for young British players over other counterparts. While a £25million fee does seem outlandish for a teenager who is yet to sign a professional contract, but Jude Bellingham does look like an exceptional talent and the transfer fee would have no bearings on his play or development considering that Europe’s top brass has scouted him since he was 13. Jude Bellingham has caught the eye of England manager Gareth Southgate as well and he would hope that the Under-17 international continues his meteoric rise to prominence. Birmingham City manager Pep Clotet has said that Bellingham is used to people scouting him, while also claiming that half of Europe was scouting the wonder kid in their game against Middlesbrough.

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