Borussia Dortmund seem to have won the race to sign Birmingham City starlet Jude Bellingham.
The 16-year-old has decided that a move to Germany is best for him, rather than signing for Manchester United.
The Red Devils have been strongly linked to Bellingham as they look to improve their midfield ranks.
However, Dortmund look set to announce the signing in the next few days, report ESPN.
The deal is expected to be worth £20 million. He will finish the Championship season with Birmingham before joining his new team.
Bellingham has superstar potential
Bellingham is a Championship regular at only 16-years-old. This in itself is enough to make him stand out.
The Stourbridge-born kid is versatile, having played in central midfield and on both wings.
In future, he will probably settle as either a combative holding player or as a box-to-box number 8.
His style is certainly that of an all-round midfield dynamo. He contributes both going forward and back.
Bellingham does not look out of place in the famously physical Championship, which is remarkable considering his age.
He is aggressive in the tackle which is a credit to his mentality. He is not afraid to have a physical dual with players old enough to be his father.
Of course, at such a young age, he is not perfect.
His decision making could improve, particularly when in and around the box.
But that will come with experience, so is nothing to worry about for now.
The Bundesliga is a smart move
Bellingham and those surrounding him must be commended for making the decision to join Dortmund rather than the big Premier League teams.
It is clear that footballing reasons influenced the decision, rather than financial ones.
The Bundesliga is becoming a very sensible place for young players to move to in order to progress their careers.
Bellingham only had to look at Jadon Sancho for proof of this. Sancho preceded him in swapping England for Dortmund and it has worked out perfectly for all sides.
The likes of Erling Haaland has also flourished at the Signal Iduna Park. He also chose Dortmund ahead of some bigger clubs.
If the German giants can improve Bellingham’s game to the same level as Sancho, then they may have a world superstar on their hands.
Lucien Favre’s side will not be afraid to give Bellingham the minutes needed in order to fulfil his potential. He would not have received this game time at the likes of Manchester United or Chelsea.
So football fans should certainly keep an eye on how Jude Bellingham progresses in the Bundesliga.
