When Jude Bellingham turned down an offer from Manchester United

• Borussia Dortmund midfielder Jude Bellingham once turned down an offer from Manchester United
• The midfielder is one of the most sought-after midfielders in the world 
• Bellingham is expected to leave Borussia Dortmund soon and might be one of the most expensive English player

According to his previous manager at Birmingham City, Jude Bellingham once declined a meeting with Manchester United at the age of just 16.

In recent years, Bellingham has grown to be one of the most sought-after midfielders in the world. When he finally leaves Borussia Dortmund for his next challenge, either this year or next, he’ll likely become the most expensive English player ever.

As previously stated, Real Madrid, Liverpool, and Manchester City are all vying for his services. All three are confident in the sales pitches they have made to the player and his agents.

Bellingham, who has been weighing his options for some time with the intention of making a decision before the conclusion of the season, is also a target for Dortmund. If the player decides he wants a new challenge now, the Bundesliga would be open to offers this year, but they are drafting a contract that would make him their highest-paid player ever and that agreement would also include a 2024 release clause.

Borussia Dortmund midfielder Jude Bellingham is one of the best sought-after midfielders in the world and once had a chance of joining Manchester United. | PHOTO: Bundesliga |

Bellingham’s young career, however, might have taken a very different turn if he had chosen differently when choosing where to go from boyhood club Birmingham in 2020.

Bellingham was courted by Manchester United at the time, but ex-Birmingham boss Pep Clotet has revealed that even after being granted permission by the Blues hierarchy to attend a meeting with the Red Devils, the youngster refused to skip training to go.

“One day, the CEO said, ‘Jude isn’t going to be here today, because we’ve allowed him to go to a meeting with Manchester United’,” Clotet told FourFourTwo.

“But Jude ended up refusing it so that he didn’t miss training. He was very clear to me that his priority would be a club who offered him a way to continue his development.”

In the end, Bellingham did meet with United, and Bryan Robson, Eric Cantona, and Sir Alex Ferguson gave him a tour of the team’s Carrington training facility. Robson later recalled what transpired, saying, “After that meeting, we believed he was coming to us.”

However, Dortmund were able to provide more significant first-team opportunities much sooner, as they had done with Jadon Sancho and Erling Haaland, and that seems to have been what swung it for Bellingham at that point of his development, signing less than a month after turning 17 years old.

“He wasn’t thinking about money,” Clotet added. “Dortmund offered him a way to bed himself into the Bundesliga and play in Europe. [Birmingham] did a brilliant negotiation and it was win-win for all parties.”