Ferdinand explains ‘the only way’ Man Utd will sign Bellingham in summer transfer window

Joe Williams
Man Utd legend Rio Ferdinand looks towards the stands

Rio Ferdinand has explained “the only way” Man Utd will sign Jude Bellingham this summer, while he thinks the Borussia Dortmund youngster is ready to be England captain “now”.

The Red Devils spent a lot of money in the summer transfer window to improve a number of areas of their team, with midfielder Casemiro arriving from Real Madrid for £70m, winger Antony coming in from Ajax for £86m and centre-back Lisandro Martinez also joining from the Dutch club for £56.7m, in their three biggest deals.

Christian Eriksen, who signed on a free transfer, has also improved midfield but Man Utd will still be on the lookout for ways to improve their side over the next couple of windows.

Erik ten Hag has made a steady start to life at Old Trafford with Man Utd currently fifth, three points off the top four with a game in hand on fourth-placed Tottenham.

Bellingham is one player who has been linked to Man Utd with every top club in the world keeping an eye on the Borussia Dortmund talent.

Ferdinand said on his Vibe with Five YouTube channel: “No, I actually think if you put yourself in Jude Bellingham’s shoes right now you have for instance, [Manchester] City are going to be in for him. Real Madrid are going to be in for him, Barca are going to be in for him, Bayern will probably go in for him.

“There’s too much work to be done at United, It is whether he thinks ‘you know what, I can be the catalyst to pull this club where it should be’ that is the only way he goes.

“If he thinks he can be that guy than Man United is the club for him but I don’t see him taking that decision.”

Bellingham became the second youngster goalscorer at a World Cup for England after he broke the deadlock in the Three Lions’ 6-2 victory over Iran on Monday in their opening match of the tournament.

He put in an excellent display and was probably the best player on the pitch with Ferdinand tipping the 19-year-old as a future England captain.

Ferdinand added: “A lot of the time we see the football player and we say ‘what a player blah blah blah’ but you’re not sure what’s going to happen off the pitch because they’re young and they can make mistakes and there is an element of being naive in certain situations.

“This kid, in the way he carries and presents himself, could be captain now.”

Ferdinand continued: “We’ve had great midfielders play for England in our generation down the years. Scholes, the Gerrards, the Lampards to name three, Gascoigne etc.

“None of those guys were doing what Jude Bellingham is doing at this age on the world stage, none of them. This kid’s playing Champions League football the lot, he’s doing everything.

“I’m not saying he’s better than them, I’m not saying he’s going to be better than them but right now, at this age, he’s doing what none of them have done. He’s ahead.”

READ MORE: Ten players sharing the World Cup shop window with Bellingham in the opening week