Rio Ferdinand has revealed that in 2020, Jude Bellingham declined an offer to join Manchester United because he wasn’t assured of regular opportunities to play in the first team.
Three years ago, the Red Devils made a substantial attempt to acquire the services of the midfielder who is now with Real Madrid.
The Premier League powerhouse extended a warm welcome to Bellingham and his parents in March at the club’s Carrington training facility, just before the COVID-19 pandemic began.
Back then, the 20-year-old was a Birmingham City player, attracting significant interest from various sources, as reported by Manchester Evening News.
Nevertheless, despite now being widely recognized as the world’s top player in terms of current performance, Bellingham chose to join the German club Borussia Dortmund in July of that same year.
The English player thought that Dortmund offered him the perfect opportunity to develop his skills.
Furthermore, Ferdinand has recently stated that Bellingham rejected a transfer to Old Trafford three years ago due to the lack of guarantees regarding regular inclusion in the first team.
“Do you know what I heard it was… he [Bellingham] wanted some assurances about being a first-team player,” Ferdinand told Vibe with Five. “And United weren’t willing to give him those assurances, that’s what I heard from a very good source.”
Since joining Spain, Bellingham’s performance has been nothing short of outstanding. He’s scored a remarkable 13 goals in 13 matches in various competitions, and he’s also contributed with three assists, as per GOAL’s report.
You can catch Bellingham in action in the upcoming La Liga match as Real Madrid faces Rayo Vallecano this weekend, followed by their return to Champions League action against Braga.