Hey Jude! Birmingham City wonderkid Jude Bellingham, 16, hides away in the back of the car as his parents leave Carrington after talks over £35m Manchester United move... with Sir Alex Ferguson involved in charm offensive and tour of training ground
* Jude Bellingham's parents were seen driving away from Manchester United's HQ
* It is believed that the Birmingham City wonderkid was in the back of the car too
* The 16-year-old is an United target after a brilliant debut season at Birmingham
Manchester United held talks with Jude Bellingham on Monday as they stepped up their attempt to sign Birmingham’s rising star this summer.
The 16-year-old midfielder was driven into Carrington by his parents and given a tour of United’s training headquarters.
Bellingham’s family are believed to have met United’s executive vice-chairman Ed Woodward and chief transfer negotiator Matt Judge. Sir Alex Ferguson was also present as part of the sales pitch.
Jude Bellingham's parents were pictured leaving Manchester United's training HQ on Monday. United's executive vice-chairman Ed Woodward (back) was seen around an hour afterwards
Bellingham left Carrington in the back of a black Mercedes driven by his father Mark, a policeman and former non-league striker.
United are among a number of top clubs from the Premier League and around Europe interested in signing Bellingham, who has emerged this season as one of English football’s hottest young prospects.
Birmingham are ready to cash in on the teenager and have given Bellingham permission to speak to other teams, sparking a bidding war that could see him sold for up to £30million in the summer.
Bellingham cannot sign his first professional contract until he turns 17 in June and is keen to weigh up his options, meaning United will not be able to snap him up quickly despite Monday's negotiations.
The 16-year-old is enjoying a brilliant debut season as a professional at Birmingham City. The central midfielder oozes composure that bellies his age and he also has an eye for a goal. The highly-rated starlet has played 35 games for Birmingham this season - scoring four goals
He is said to be tempted by a move to Borussia Dortmund, who beat United to the signing of Erling Haaland in January, with Liverpool and Chelsea among the other suitors in England.
Meanwhile, United have tied one of their own young stars to a new contract after winger Tahith Chong signed a deal worth £30,000-a-week.
Chong, 20, would have been a free agent this summer and was strongly linked with Inter Milan, but United persuaded the Holland Under 21 international to commit his future to them until June 2022 with the option of another year.
‘I’m delighted to sign this new contract and grateful for the chance to prove myself here for many years to come,’ said Chong, who has made 10 first-team appearances this season.
United fly to Austria on Wednesday in preparation for Thursday’s Europa League clash with LASK of Linz, looking to build on their win in the Manchester derby.
Defender Luke Shaw believes Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s side showed more desire than Manchester City as they secured their third derby win of the season and first league double over City in a decade.
‘I think it was so important, not just the points but the magnitude of the game and how big it is to everyone in this city,’ said Shaw.
‘Maybe we wanted it more. I felt like we wanted it more.’
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https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-8092515/Manchester-United-Birmingham-City-wonderkid-Jude-Bellinghams-parents-Carrington.html