Real Madrid superstar rejected Manchester United

Real Madrid have done a fantastic job in recent years when it comes to identifying talent. They have not signed a lot of players, but they have signed the right ones for the most part. That is one of the biggest reasons why they have continued to enjoy success on the pitch despite not having the depth of several other top clubs across Europe.

Their decision to sign Jude Bellingham has already proven to be a masterstroke. With several key players missing, the Englishman has put the team on his back at times and already scored winners in multiple games.

It is hard to believe that he is still just 20 years of age. If he can continue to perform like this, he will not just win the Ballon d’Or in the future but a number of them.

Manchester United wanted to sign Bellingham a few years back. But it has been confirmed by Ole Gunnar Solskjaer that he chose Borussia Dortmund instead. In hindsight, it has certainly proven to be the right decision.

Real Madrid superstar rejected Manchester United

As reported by The Athletic, Solskjaer said:

"“We wanted Jude Bellingham badly — he’s a Man United player, but I respect he chose Dortmund. That was probably sensible.”"

Going to Borussia Dortmund certainly helped Bellingham. He probably would have been a success anywhere but he did get the chance to play regular first-team football from a very young age at the Bundesliga club famed for developing youngsters.

That helped him develop into the player that he is today. It is hard to find any real flaws in Bellingham’s game. He is very complete at just 20.

If Bellingham had ended up joining Manchester United, things might have turned out very differently for him. Just look at Jadon Sancho’s career trajectory since his move to Old Trafford.

He was one of the biggest talents in the game at Borussia Dortmund, scoring and assisting for fun. Now, he can’t find a start at Manchester United and is expected to leave soon.