Birmingham City’s rising star Jude Bellingham is set to be the subject of a summer transfer battle.
According to The Sun, the 16-year-old midfielder is being tracked by Chelsea and Manchester United, with both Premier League clubs prepared to pay up to £50million to secure his signature.
The teenager, who only completed his GCSEs last summer, has become a mainstay for Birmingham this season and has more than held his own in the Championship.
Don’t know much about him? Well talkSPORT.com is on hand to tell you more…
Born in Stourbridge, Bellingham joined Birmingham City as a nine-year old and academy staff have long raved about his talents.
He made his debut for their Under-23 team at the age of 15 in a game against Nottingham Forest’s U23s in October 2018 and didn’t take long to make his mark – scoring the winner in the 87th minute.
By March 2019, he had scored three goals in ten appearances for Birmingham’s development teams and was subsequently named in the first-team squad for their visit to West Brom on March 29.
In July 2019 he signed a two-year scholarship deal with Birmingham worth £145-a-week and also travelled with the first-team on their pre-season tour in Portugal.
Man United target Bruno Fernandes 'is from another planet', says former Sporting Lisbon boss Carlos Carvalhal
Ahead of the 2019/20 season he was given the number 22 shirt and. on August 6, he became the club’s youngest ever first-team player at the age of 16 years, 38 days – beating the previous record of 16 years, 139 days set by Trevor Francis in 1970.
On breaking Francis’ record, Bellingham admitted it took some time to sink in.
“I’m still trying to get my head around it,” he beamed.
“The amount of great players that have played for the club, especially Trevor Francis obviously setting the record in the first place, beating that is a huge honour and I’m really grateful to have had the opportunity to do so.”
Bellingham then made his home debut on August 31, replacing the injured Jefferson Montero after an hour and scored the winning goal as the Blues came from 1-0 down to beat Stoke 2-1. In doing so he became Birmingham’s youngest ever goal scorer.
Bellingham admitted he knew he would be playing after going through the team and shape the day before in training.
“I tried not to think about it [the night before] but I couldn’t help myself, not being nervous but so excited just making sure the basics and fundamentals were on point, where I was for set-pieces, my role, when we get the ball out of possession, just trying to nail that in my head so I could do it out on the pitch.
“There were butterflies, especially when we got there on the day of the match, my stomach felt really really full of butterflies.”
Two weeks later Bellingham started against Charlton at The Valley and netted the winner in a 1-0 victory before being voted EFL Young Player of the Month for November 2019.
He has gone on to make 31 appearances for the Blues this season in all competitions, scoring four goals.
At international level, the starley has represented England at U15, U16 and U17 level.
He captained the U17s at the Syrenka Cup in September and was named player of the tournament after leading England to victory.
Bellingham has all the ingredients to play in the centre of the pitch, either as a holding or attacking midfielder, but has also been deployed on the left and right hand side of midfield.
He glides around the pitch and can leave opponents chasing his shadow without appearing to change stride and is rarely, if ever, knocked off the ball.
He possesses an assured touch and can pick a pass, time a run as well as having an eye for goal.
Birmingham manager Pep Clotet has been full of praise for the youngster.
Speaking in October, he said: “He can go forward, he can defend, he is very complete and despite being only 16 he handles the physicality of the midfield very well.
“The only difference between a player who is 16 and a player that has a lot of years as a pro is the way they handle the load.
“He’s handling it very well at the moment and he’s a strong player so I don’t see why he can’t hack it.”
Daniel Dodds, the FA’s former talent ID manager for England’s U15s to U17s has also been full of praise for Bellingham, telling The Athletic: “He’s got everything.
“The way he moves; his technical ability. He’s incredibly bright in terms of football intelligence, tactical ability, tactical knowledge, knowing what to do, where to be. As good as anything I’ve ever seen, comfortably.”
Birmingham could well be under pressure to sell Bellingham this summer, with the club not financially secure, and Clotet is not surprised eyes are on the young star.
He said: “We are aware he is being watched, he has been watched since he was 13 or 14.
“For the Middlesbrough game half of Europe was here, he is used to it and I am used to it.
“I have always said it is very good that clubs show interest in our players because this means that we have good players.”
Bellingham does not turn 17 until the end of June, when he will be able to sign a professional contract.
A grounded individual, he does not have an agent – his father Mark handles his affairs – and is understood to be relaxed about his future.
Click Here: liverpool mens jersey