Manchester United are reportedly interested in signing Jobe Bellingham as uncertainty continues over the midfielder’s future at Borussia Dortmund.
The 19-year-old joined Dortmund from Sunderland last summer in a £32million package deal, but he has been used sparingly since his move.
After starting the first two Bundesliga matches of the season, minutes have been hard to come by for Bellingham, and his manager, Niko Kovac, has stressed that places are won in training and how you perform on the pitch, not because of your reputation.
It could lead to the 20-year-old leaving the Bundesliga side earlier than anticipated, having signed a contract until 2030 just a few months ago.
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And he could be set to return to his homeland, according to a report. According to BILD (via Daily Mail), Ruben Amorim is a huge fan of the younger Bellingham brother and could anchor a United move for his services.
But it is reported that the Red Devils could face competition form another Premier League club in Crystal Palace if indeed Bellingham does depart.
The report suggests that Amorim appreciates Bellingham’s physical robustness and believes his playing style would fit perfectly into his system.
Speaking to Kicker last month, meanwhile, Kovac said: ‘Everyone wants to play every minute, but then you only need 11 players.
‘When you sign a contract here, it is not only well paid, it also means there is a hell of a lot of competition.’
Marcel Sabitzer and Felix Nmecha are currently preferred in the middle of the park by Kovac, ahead of Bellingham.
The Dortmund boss made sure to state that it’s clear Bellingham is a ‘very talented player’, but to ensure he meets the demands of the Bundesliga, he must ‘grow into the game here’.
His start to life in western Germany has been rather different from that of his brother Jude – now at Real Madrid – who hit the ground running after making the move from Birmingham as a 17-year-old in 2020.
And Kovac believes that the burden of the Bellngham name will only serve as a hindrance to Jobe as he tries to make a name for himself in yellow and black.
“You cannot make the mistake of applying too much pressure, despite the name,” Kovac continued. “I think that is not doing the boy any favours, and the boy is not doing himself any favours.”
