Jude Bellingham said "no" when asked by a Manchester United supporter if he's going to complete a summer transfer to Old Trafford.
Bellingham, 19, is one of the most sought after players in Europe after impressing at the World Cup. The Borussia Dortmund midfielder was arguably England's best player at the tournament in Qatar, as Gareth Southgate's side reached the quarter-finals.
It's believed United are one of many teams after Bellingham's services. Premier League rivals Liverpool are the favourites to sign the teenager, who is expected to leave Dortmund at the end of this term. Champions League holders Real Madrid are also in the running.
A video of Bellingham being stopped by a United fan has emerged on social media. In the clip, the footballer poses for a selfie with the supporter before being asked, "Are you going to come to Man Utd?" Bellingham laughs, says "no" and simply walks away.
As reported by the Manchester Evening News, United are interested in signing Bellingham next summer. It's believed manager Erik ten Hag has identified the midfielder as someone who is capable of turning his team into Premier League title contenders.
Despite still being a teenager, Bellingham has established himself as a top-class central midfielder. The England international was viewed as a wonderkid when he made his debut at boyhood club Birmingham City in August 2019, aged just 16 years and 38 days.
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Bellingham went on to play 44 games that season to be named the EFL Young Player of the Season and Birmingham City's Young Player of the Year. His performances also attracted United's and Dortmund's attention, with him choosing to sign for the latter club.
Dortmund paid an initial £25million for Bellingham services, but United were also willing to pay that substantial fee for the then 17-year-old. They reportedly "rolled out the red carpet" for him when he visited their Carrington training ground for talks in March 2020.
Bellingham's decision was vindicated. He's played more than 100 games for Dortmund and been capped 22 times. He won the DFB-Pokal in May 2021 and was part of the England squad that reached the final of Euro 2020, where they lost to Italy on penalties.
It will now cost United much more than £25m to sign Bellingham, as Dortmund are set to demand in excess of £100m. It's thought the midfielder's price tag could be in excess of £130m. Yet his performances in Qatar suggest that would be money well spent.
United, Liverpool and Real are not the only teams interested in Bellingham. Manchester City are reportedly after his signature, while Paris Saint-Germain chief executive Nasser Al-Khelaifi has revealed his desire to bring Bellingham to the French capital.
"What a player," Al-Khelaifi told Sky News when asked about Bellingham. "Honestly, England are lucky to have him... Everyone wants him. I'm not going to hide it. But I respect he's in his club and, respect if we want to talk to him, we talk to the club first."
