Jude Bellingham has admitted that, this past summer, he had his heart set on joining Borussia Dortmund and Manchester United did not stand a chance to sign him as a result.
In an interview with Daily Telegraph, Jude Bellingham has opened up about the possible interest from Manchester United over a possible move this past summer. The 17-year-old has insisted that he only wanted to join Borussia Dortmund, which is why he never really considered a switch to Old Trafford.
Jude Bellingham burst onto the scene last season and made such an enormous impact within the first-team setup at Birmingham City that he became one of the hottest commodities in the transfer market this past summer. As a result, the teenage prodigy was linked with a number of big name clubs, including Manchester United, who eyed him for the better part of the window.
In fact, it was even reported at one point that Manchester United were leading the race to sign him after a season that saw him become a mainstay for Birmingham City. In the end, though, the Red Devils failed to secure the services of the young Englishman, who chose to make his way to Borussia Dortmund instead.
The 17-year-old continues to grow in stature at the Signal Iduna Park, having made 9 appearances in all competitions for Dortmund so far this season. Bellingham has now opened up about the saga that saw him linked with Manchester United and others in the summer, claiming that he had his heart set on joining Dortmund.
“Well, you know, Manchester United have a great squad but my decision had nothing to do with Manchester United. I was so focused and so happy with the interest from Dortmund that this became my first choice. For me, it was Borussia Dortmund and that’s it. When you find somewhere that’s the best place to be, you kind of ignore everything else, you know what I mean?”
From Bellingham’s comments it is clear that he never really considered a move to Manchester United, especially after the interest from Borussia Dortmund emerged. The 17-year-old has now followed in the footsteps of Jadon Sancho, another one of Manchester United’s summer targets, and he would hope to grow as exponentially during his time at the Bundesliga club.
Dortmund have indeed proven themselves to be the hotbed of young talent, with Bellingham the latest in a long line of promising players to make their way to the Signal Iduna Park. As for Manchester United, they chose to bolster their midfield by signing Donny van de Beek instead, a move that has drawn some criticism, although they would hope the Dutchman’s signing pays off.