Birmingham City boss Pep Clotet insists 16-year-old sensation Jude Bellingham has NOT had his head turned by links with a transfer to Manchester United.
But the manager also insists the Premier League giants’ interest in their prized young star is ‘fantastic’ for the club.
Bellingham has been linked with a stunning move away from St Andrews, with United reportedly willing to pay more than £30million to sign him.
The teenage midfielder became Birmingham’s youngest ever first-team player when he made his senior debut against Swansea back in August, and then scored winning goals in his next two games on his home debut against Stoke City and then away at Charlton.
He has been an ever-present in the Blues side his season, making 25 appearances in the Championship, scoring four goals and providing one assist.
It’s no wonder, then, that he has been hailed as England’s most exciting young talent since Wayne Rooney.
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However, the youngster has been warned about joining Man United so early in his career, with ex-Birmingham winger Jermiane Pennant telling talkSPORT he could ‘hit a brick wall’ and harm his career by leaving St Andrews.
But Clotet appears to have cast the rumours aside.
Asked if the speculation is affecting Bellingham, the Blues boss told talkSPORT’s Midlands correspondent Tom Ross: “Oh not at all.
“On the contrary, I see Jude is very focused on his football and on his team.
“This is his town, these are his people and this is his club. He loves this club and he’s very focused in training, he’s taken the whole situation as a professional.
“I’m delighted about that and I just hope that he keeps this mentality for the rest of this career because he’s fantastic future professional here.”
Clotet also claimed the interest from Manchester United, and reportedly from Barcelona too, can only be good news for Birmingham.
He believes it proves they are doing it right on the pitch, as well as off it, as they continue to develop their talented young players.
Asked about United’s rumoured £30million valuation of Bellingham, he the boss added: “How good is that!
“The fact in the press they are saying these clubs are watching our players for this amount of money, it just makes us proud that he know we’re doing things the right way, in giving a path to the first-team for the players in our academy.
Jermaine Pennant urges ‘fantastic talent’ Jude Bellingham to stay at Birmingham amid reported interest from Man United
“On a personal point it makes me proud that I was here with him when he started this journey, and he makes the club and his team-mates proud for the fact one of our players is attracting this interest.
“I think it’s fantastic for the club.
“But I have heard nothing, everything is the same and I’ve had no communication on this matter, so there’s nothing to worry about.”
