Despite only being 16-years-old, Birmingham’s Jude Bellingham has been playing a major role for the Championship side this season. He has featured in 25 games across all competitions, scoring four times and providing one further assist too.

The midfielder has also shown his versatility by playing in five different positions this season as per Transfermarkt, and it’s little surprise to see his name linked with a team like Manchester United. Reports in recent weeks have even suggested the Red Devils have made a £12.5m offer for the starlet, and now there appears to be an update on proceedings.

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According to The Athletic’s David Ornstein, United are actively trying to sign Bellingham this month, but are finding the proposed £25m fee prohibitive. It is also claimed the Birmingham midfielder is reluctant to drop back to the U23s after making his breakthrough into senior football.

After hearing about the latest update on their pursuit of the 16-year-old, United fans took to Twitter to voice their thoughts on the matter, with a few urging the club to just let him go back on loan to Birmingham after signing him.

A couple of fans voiced their frustrations over the club focusing on tying up a deal for Bellingham, instead of trying to complete their move for Bruno Fernandes.

Another couple of supporters of the Manchester side however were far more positive about their club’s chase for Bellingham, with one fan in particular saying that it would “excite” them more than Fernandes.

Such is the state United are in at the moment – they are still five points behind fourth-placed Chelsea – a 16-year-old midfielder from the Championship is hardly the kind of inspiring move that can help them in the short-term. It is no doubt all well and good thinking about the future, but the Red Devils are in far more desperate need for some reinforcements for their first-team.

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Whilst a swoop for Bellingham may get their hands on a highly-rated prospect, he is unlikely to be the player to take them over the edge this season. The Red Devils would surely be wiser to concentrate their efforts elsewhere, not least their pursuit of Fernandes.

Meanwhile, Manchester United fans discuss Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s “embarrassing” decision.