Manchester United have urged Jude Bellingham to move to Old Trafford in the wake of the announcement that Birmingham manager Pep Clotet will be leaving the club at the end of the season.
United's interest in Bellingham arose in the January transfer window but the club did not approach the Championship side with a formal offer. Nevertheless, MEN Sport understand the 16-year-old remains high on Ole Gunnar Solskjaer's transfer wishlist and Bellingham visited United's training ground in March with his parents.
Borussia Dortmund are believed to be United's main competition to sign the highly rated youngster with Chelsea also believed to be monitoring his progress. Bellingham is yet to sign a professional contract with Birmingham and United could land the youngster for a compensation fee if he decides against signing one.
On Monday, it was announced that Clotet would leave his position as Birmingham manager at the end of the season in order to explore other coaching opportunities.
Bellingham thanked the departing manager on Twitter. He wrote: "All I needed was a chance and you gave me that plus so much more, always grateful. Thanks Pep!"
United fans were quick to flood his replies, urging him to move to United.
Bellingham's former coach Sam Manoochehri believes that the youngster's elite mentality means he is destined for success.
He said: "Anywhere Jude goes, he will be a success, based purely on his mentality. I have never seen a mentality more elite than his.
"When I worked with him, when something was tough, he loved it. I can remember games when he wanted to play himself centre half to test himself.
"Now if you say to most young midfielders or attackers, by the way you are playing centre-half today they probably wouldn’t be best pleased with it.
"But Jude would actively go and seek the challenge without having to be pushed from the coaching staff."
