Man City join rivals United in £30m transfer scrap for Birmingham wonderkid Jude Bellingham
MANCHESTER CITY have joined arch-rivals United in the race for £30million Birmingham kid Jude Bellingham.
Boss Pep Guardiola sent a scout to spy on the 16-year-old as he starred as a stand-in striker in the FA Cup replay win over Coventry on Tuesday.
Now City have joined United, Arsenal and Borussia Dortmund in pursuing the midfield star, who has four goals and one assist in 28 games during a stunning debut season.
Real Madrid and Barcelona are also believed to be interested.
Birmingham boss Pep Clotet said there is no limit to Bellingham’s talents after challenging him to replace top scorer Lukas Jutkiewicz against the Sky Blues.
He said: “I saw a Jude Bellingham who was actually BETTER than I thought.
“I hope you don't see him in that position a lot because his best position is midfielder.
“He is not a player who will take the physical battle to defenders like Jutkiewicz does up front.
“He is a different kind of player who can put his foot on the ball, dominate and create.
“He made a massive step forward in his development tonight.”
Clotet set the youngster the task of stopping Coventry’s passing game before it got going — and it worked a treat.
He added: “He is very good in one-on-one situations and the half-turn.
"The plan was for us to find Jude and for him to then play to the wingers. He understood it perfectly.”