With the 2019/20 Premier League season in the midst of a temporary suspension, many clubs are taking the free time to lay the foundations for summer transfers. Manchester United are one of those teams, with reports claiming United have are keeping tabs on players across the globe and the ever-reliable Fabrizio Romano revealing that United are in contract talks with the representatives of Jadon Sancho.
However, Sancho is not the only target United have been working on, Birmingham City prospect Jude Bellingham was recently spotted on a tour of United’s Carrington training facility and many reports across the country are claiming that a £30 million bid has been tabled for the English youngster.
United face stiff competition to acquire Bellingham’s signature, with Bundesliga powerhouse Borussia Dortmund also rumoured to be hot in pursuit of the young midfielder.
A youth coach who worked with the Birmingham starlet for over four years has recently, in an exclusive with The Mirror, revealed that he believes Manchester United would be a “nice fit” for the youngster.
Sam Manoochehri, who worked with Bellingham across various age levels at Birmingham told The Mirror, “Man United, it might be a nice fit for Jude, with a rejuvenated team, talk of Aston Villa’s Jack Grealish going over there”.
However, Manoochehri also highlights the level of competition United face in their pursuit of Bellingham, “Dortmund would also suit, the recent profile of players that have come through that system like Sancho. Jude would fit that mould too”.
It is clear that the teenager is on the transfer lists of many of Europe’s elite clubs and Manoochehri chalks his meteoric rise down to his mentality, “When I worked with him, when something was tough, he loved it. I can remember games when he wanted to play himself at centre-half just to test himself”, the youth coach remarked.
United’s interest in Bellingham is clear, the youngster perfectly fits the mould of young, British and passionate that Solskjaer has worked to recruit. In addition, with the question marks over the futures of midfield options Paul Pogba, Jesse Lingard and Andreas Pereira, midfield reinforcements are certainly a necessity for United in the upcoming transfer window.
United’s recent acquisition of Bruno Fernandes and the Portuguese playmaker’s effectiveness in the final third also means that a player like Bellingham who can pick the ball up deeper and progress play while not clogging up Fernandes’ preferred positions would be an extremely valuable asset.
At 16 years old, one thing is sure, wherever Bellingham decides to take his talents, he will be a success. The combination of his abilities and his mindset as detailed by Manoochehri set the Birmingham youngster apart from other ‘wonderkids’ and United would be extremely fortunate to secure his signature.
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