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Manchester Evening News
Manchester Evening News
Sport
Liam Wood

Erling Haaland promise could help Man City boss Pep Guardiola complete dream signing

Jude Bellingham has not so much burst onto the global scene this World Cup as underline his generational talent. Everyone already knew what the Borussia Dortmund sensation had in his locker and nobody more so than wowed Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola.

Had things turned out differently, Bellingham might have pitched up at Old Trafford when he left Birmingham City two summers ago. However, with his signature just about the hottest ticket on the planet right now, there is every chance that he will snub Manchester United this time around, too.

Blue is in his blood as a Birmingham fan and product. But will Bellingham resist bright lights at Real Madrid to make his UK return as the latest dream Guardiola signing?

READ MORE: City squad for Abu Dhabi training

Although strictly speaking not their own production line, German side Dortmund continue to lead the way when it comes to nurturing the best and brightest across Europe and Bellingham has proven to be that with coming-of-age performances for England at the ongoing Qatar showcase.

So much rests on his young shoulders and, should Gareth Southgate and his Three Lions go on to reach footballing immortality, the 19-year-old would undoubtedly have a starring role to play. It's easy to see why Phil Foden and Jack Grealish - among others - have been in awe of the midfielder from their tournament camp.

"The quality and skills, everyone knows about it, but it's not just about that," proclaimed Guardiola when prompted on what Bellingham brings to the party. "It's about the whole package."

Not for the first time, Guardiola waxed lyrical about Bellingham when he locked horns with City during a European meeting earlier this season. On that night, the teenager scored at the Etihad Stadium and performed superbly albeit in a losing cause, while he has also donned the Dortmund armband this campaign.

City won the goalscoring lottery last summer to bring Erling Haaland to the Premier League from the same club and he might have a huge part to play in tempting Bellingham to follow suit. Foden and Grealish have done their utmost to shower Bellingham at the World Cup and a call from 'Agent Haaland' would not go amiss, either.

Indeed, the Norwegian has even previously promised that he "plays good" with the England midfielder.

"He's a really good person, Jude," said Haaland on the ESPN FC podcast last season. "He's a phenomenal talent. I play good with him as I did with Jadon [Sancho].

Jude Bellingham has been a shining light during the Qatar World Cup for England. (Corbis via Getty Images)

"We have the same banter together, and also get along really well. Jude and me have a really good connection on the pitch and I think that's really important."

You could argue both players have a good connection with anyone on the pitch, such is their breath-taking talent and manner in which they have emerged as European powerhouses at such a young age. Indeed, even the thought of them reviving their partnership (at peak) in the Premier League is frightening.

City were fortunate to sign Haaland for only £51million and might have to splash out at least double that to thwart interest in Bellingham from Real Madrid, Liverpool and every other elite club. But whatever the price ends up being, it will be worth paying to win the Bellingham bidding war.

With question marks over Bernardo Silva and Ilkay Gundogan and their next moves - plus City planning for the day they no longer have Kevin de Bruyne to call upon - Guardiola will eventually have to evolve his engine room. He's in no doubt at who should pick up the baton, while the transitional period between eras could, ultimately, conjure up a combination which takes City to even dizzier heights domestically and in their quest for elusive European honours.

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