Man Utd wanted to sign Bellingham this summer as a ‘RESERVE PLAYER’

Carlo Garganese

• 1 Nov 2023 13:00 GMT
• 3 min read

Jude Bellingham rejected a transfer to Manchester United this summer because the club couldn’t promise him a first-team shirt, according to Rio Ferdinand.

United were one of a host of top clubs interested in signing Bellingham, who eventually agreed to sign for Real Madrid.

During discussions with Bellingham, it is incredibly claimed by Ferdinand that United couldn’t offer the English star assurances that he would be a first-team player.

What did Ferdinand say about Bellingham?

"Do you know what I heard it was?" Ferdinand said on Vibe with Five, "He [Bellingham] wanted some assurances about being a first-team player and United weren’t willing to give him those assurances, that’s what I heard from a very good source.

"He wasn’t given assurances of being around the first team and he’s said, ‘Do you know what? I know my worth, I know my value and if you don’t value me the way I see myself I’m going to have to jog on and go to another club’.

"He’s gone and done that and he’s turned round and gone, ‘I told you guys, you didn’t believe me did you?’.

"And he’s gone to Real Madrid [and] the Bernabeu… they’ve just rebuilt it and he’s tearing it down! Unbelievable."

Bellingham completed a club record transfer to Real Madrid from Borussia Dortmund this past summer for a price of around €134m.

This fee also made Bellingham the fourth most expensive transfer in football history.

READ MORE: Bellingham HIT, Mudryk FLOP: How the 10 most expensive transfers of 2023 have performed

And Bellingham is already making Manchester United’s stance look very silly.

He has made the best start to a Real Madrid career that any new signing has perhaps ever made at the Bernabeu.

In his first 13 games for Real Madrid in all competitions in 2023-24, Bellingham has scored a barely believable 13 goals from his attacking midfield position.

These have included a whole host of decisive strikes, including a double in the Clasico to beat Barcelona 2-1 at Camp Nou on Saturday.

Manchester United, meanwhile, have made the worst start to a season for over 30 years.

They have lost five of their opening 10 games in the Premier League and are already eight points off the top four. They also lost two of their opening three games in the Champions League.