Harry Diamond
Manchester United have made an improved £30m offer for Birmingham City teenager Jude Bellingham.
Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s side have been left impressed with the youngster’s performances since his emergence at the Championship club earlier this season, Bellingham becoming the youngest player and goalscorer in the club’s history.
Manchester United first made an approach for the midfielder earlier this month and were reported to be prepared to pay around £25m to secure the signing of the 16-year-old, however, Sky Sports claim have now confirmed reports from The Sun that the club have returned with an improved offer as they bid to lure the highly-rated prospect to Old Trafford.
Bellingham has made 25 appearances in all competitions so far this season, scoring four goals, and is believed to have also attracted admiring glances from the likes of Liverpool, Borussia Dortmund and Bayern Munich.
United are now keen to beat off the competition and secure the box-to-box midfielder this month, the club hopeful their offer will persuade Birmingham into parting with their prized asset with just over a week remaining of the winter window.
Birmingham are under pressure to sell having run into financial difficulties in recent times, the club having been docked nine points last season for breaking profit and sustainability rules.
Solskjaer’s side will now hope to capitalise on that by securing Bellingham in the coming days, the youngster currently on just £145-a-week scholar wages and unable to sign lucrative professional terms until his 17th birthday this summer.
Solskjaer refuses to rule out Rashford missing England’s Euro 2020 campaign
See also – Five of the best teenage talents in Premier League history