Jude Bellingham set to reject Manchester United for Dortmund despite Ole Gunnar Solskjaer selling him dream project

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Borussia Dortmund are convinced they have beaten Manchester United in the race to sign Jude Bellingham.

Inside Old Trafford, they are still hoping a guided tour around Carrington and a pitch to be part of Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s revolution will see him reject the chance to follow in the footsteps of Jadon Sancho and try to make his name in the Bundesliga.

Sources in Germany claimed he was on his way to Dortmund even before he turned up at United’s training ground in March, which convinced Solskjaer there was a deal to be done for the 16-year-old Birmingham starlet.

There he met with Ed Woodward and was given the hard sell. Sir Alex Ferguson is also claimed to have been in attendance.

Bellingham was told how he would be expected to immediately compete for a place in the first team despite his tender years.

In Pictures | Manchester United training during Premier League return

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And how he would join an exciting crop of homegrown young talent led by Marcus Rashford and including Mason Greenwood, Scott McTominay and Brandon Williams.

Solskjaer is building a squad based on youth, speed and hunger.

He was wants to add Sancho to the mix when the window opens and Bellingham – considered a generational talent by the United manager – perfectly fits the profile of player he is after. Solk

Solskjaer wants Sancho and Bellingham this summer.
AP

If he heads to Dortmund, United will fiercely contest the suggestion that he will be given more of an opportunity to progress his career in Germany.

In a season in which they passed 4000 games with an academy graduate in their first team squad, Solskjaer would have every right to question that thinking.

Sancho may have found his route to the first team blocked at Manchester City, but a consistent pathway has continued to be provided at United – even during Jose Mourinho’s reign when Rashford established himself and McTominay broke through.

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Under Solskjaer, Nicky Butt has switched from Academy head to head of first team development, specifically to oversee the transition of emerging talent to the senior team.

It is seen as no coincidence that Greenwood and Williams have made such strides in Butt’s first year in his new role.

Sancho has developed into one of the most exciting talents in Europe and an England international since his move to Dortmund. But in less than a season since their breakthroughs Greenwood and Williams are both in the thoughts of Gareth Southgate.

Bellingham is said to be level-headed about his career path and well guided by his father, Mark. They are qualities that have only made him all the more appealing to United, with Solskjaer determined to ensure he introduces the right characters to the dressing room.

Getty Images

But it would be understandable if he looked at a congested midfield at United and wondered where he fits in.

With Solskjaer also interested in midfielders Jack Grealish and James Maddison, while Paul Pogba’s hopes of a move away are likely to be hit by suitors being cash-strapped by the financial impact of coronavirus, opportunities would be limited for Bellingham.

That’s without factoring in the rapidly progressing James Garner, who is seen as potentially filling the void left by Michael Carrick.

The lure of Dortmund is clear, given the development of players like Sancho, Ousmane Dembele, Christian Pulisic and Gio Reyna in recent times.

He would also be joining Erling Braut Haaland in resisting Solskjaer’s advances in favour of the German giants.

For all the effort Solskjaer has put into his cultural reboot it would point to a worrying trend and evidence of the work still be done to convince targets to buy into his revolution.

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