Former Birmingham City CEO Dong Ren has told how Manchester United pushed hardest to sign Jude Bellingham in 2020.
United identified Bellingham as a star of the future while he was at Birmingham and tried everything to sign him.
It was to no avail, with the Birmingham midfielder choosing to sign with Borussia Dortmund instead.
Ren says he was confused by Bellingham’s choice, but also admired how bold he was, and how well it has worked out.
Bellingham, 19, is regarded as one of the best midfielders in the world already and is coveted by the world’s top clubs ahead of a potential transfer in 2023.
Manchester United offered Jude Bellingham the most money
Ren said former United CEO Ed Woodward pulled out all the stops financially to try and sway Bellingham into a move, with no luck.
He explained via Mundo Deportivo: “United made the biggest offer we received compared to Bayern, Dortmund, Leicester or other clubs like Wolves.
“Ed Woodward was the most insistent. We sat down and talked about how we could convince Bellingham. But Jude didn’t make any decisions based on money.
“They offered much more salary compared to the rest. Maybe double. He was going to have guaranteed millions in the bank and he did not take them. That’s not normal for a player at all.
“He sat down with Solskjaer, until Woodward brought Ferguson that day, another day to Cantona, to try to convince him.
“He chose Dortmund over Bayern despite not being sure to win titles and money. He put all that behind his development. How many players would do that? Because nothing is guaranteed at Dortmund. It might not have turned out well.”
United have learned from failed 2020 move
It’s just typical of Ed Woodward’s failed spell in charge to hear him waving money in front of a young player to try and convince him to join.
What United failed to do, was to convince Bellingham that Manchester United were the best club for his career, to learn and develop as a footballer.
Perhaps in 2020, that simply wasn’t the case. But in 2023, United appear to be focusing efforts on Bellingham on the player’s development.
The Telegraph report Manchester United’s strategy to try and land Bellingham is focused on manager Erik ten Hag, who believes he can help Bellingham to maximise his potential.
He also reportedly plans to build his side around him, something United could not promise Bellingham in 2020, instead just able to offer 15-20 appearances per season at the most.
Bellingham will have plenty of offers this summer, and he will be highly paid wherever he chooses.
Manchester United seem to have learned that money is not the answer, as Woodward believed it was. Bellingham’s rejection was a costly miss.
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