Jude Bellingham actually rejected Manchester City to join Real Madrid during the summer – despite the treble winners offering a higher salary.
That is according to the Independent.
So, what was said about Manchester City and Jude Bellingham? Let’s take a look…
What’s the story?
Well, the 20-year-old has made a breathtaking start to life in Spain.
Bellingham has remarkably scored 13 goals in just 13 appearances for Real Madrid following an £88.5m move from Borussia Dortmund in June.
His most recent strikes came in Saturday’s dramatic Clasico, scoring twice to help Real Madrid come from behind to beat Barcelona by a 2-1 scoreline.
The England international subsequently picked up the Kopa Trophy at the Ballon d’Or ceremony in Paris on Monday, awarded to the best Under-21 player on the planet.
However, Bellingham – who recently praised Jack Grealish – could have been receiving the award as a Manchester City player, had things gone differently.
The Independent believe Manchester City offered the Birmingham-born sensation a larger salary than the £342,000-a-week he is currently earning at Real Madrid.
However, Bellingham was fixated on a move to the Santiago Bernabeu, and rejected all other offers – including one from Liverpool.
Manchester City are missing someone like Jude Bellingham
There aren’t many ways to improve Pep Guardiola’s outstanding treble winners – but a proper goalscoring midfielder like Bellingham is one thing Manchester City do lack.
Manchester City do not really need to spread goals throughout the side with someone as prolific as Erling Haaland leading the line, but in the rare event that the Norwegian fails to score, alternative goalscoring sources can often be lacking.
Therefore, having someone with that knack for being in the right place at the right time, like Bellingham, would have given Guardiola’s side a new dimension and another weapon.
Nevertheless, signing the England international would also have given Manchester City an even greater embarrassment of riches – it was only fair that he moved elsewhere.
