Jude Bellingham rejected Manchester United in 2020 despite being given a private tour of the club's Carrington training ground and a meeting with Sir Alex Ferguson. The then-16-year-old Birmingham City prodigy was also shown around Old Trafford by former chief executive Ed Woodward, but ultimately chose to join Borussia Dortmund.
According to reports, Bellingham's parents, Denise and Mark, believed his development would be better served in the Bundesliga. Dortmund highlighted Jadon Sancho as proof of how young players can flourish in Germany, and the family concurred, with Jude's younger brother Jobe later joining the same club.
Former Birmingham CEO Xuandong Ren revealed that Bellingham turned down a substantially higher wage from United and other suitors. 'Jude did not make any decision based on money,' Ren said in 2022. 'They were offering much more salary compared to the rest. Maybe double. He was going to be guaranteed millions in the bank and he didn't take it. That's not normal for a player at all.'
Bellingham spent three years at Dortmund before moving to Real Madrid in a deal worth up to £113 million. He has since struggled with injuries this season but is expected to feature for England at the 2026 World Cup.
