Don't think he would play for the reserves. He's already playing above the reserves level.
Jude Bellingham | Confirmed Borussia Dortmund player
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The standard of reserves would be a big step backwards compared to the championship. I’d love to see how some of our really top prospects would do in the championship now. It’s turned into a very competitive league! Also I feel like young players are much better off getting matches at that level and showing what they can do rather than joining the stockpiling of potential in the reserves at bigger teams and never getting a chance to play until they leave the club in their early 20s with very little pro football under their belts. There’s plenty of money in the championship now too while they develop.
It’s probably the most competitive league in the world.
The championship is a hell of a lot tougher than the academy mate.
This has turned into one of the wierdest threads
good shout. It’s a great place to develop players too. If was a young talented player I’d back myself to do well in the championship and then move to a big club on my own terms rather than waiting for an injury or some luck at a big club while stagnating at reserve level. also I assume a first team player in the championship makes more than a reserve youth player at UTD?
I agree in the main. Although I’m not sure you’re necessarily more likely to make it at the top of you impress in the Championship first over starting at a PL academy. Think there’s still a stigma about a PL club ‘buying players from the Championship’, at least the bigger ones. I think starting at a top academy may be slightly more beneficial. Firstly, you’re already in the door at a big club, and secondly, it’s better to start falling from the top.
I mean, players like Michael Keane and even the far less impressive Will Keane and James Weir got PL clubs initially when they left United. Weir in particular was never anything more than a league one player. Others like Josh King, Josh Harrop, Pearson, Rothwell and many others ended up with a Championship gig once they failed at United, but least they got a shot.
And yes, a Championship regular will get paid more than an academy PL player, unless you play for Chelsea who seem to give all of theirs £50k a week.
Not a fan of languid midfielders tbh. Due to mobility and balance issues. You get creativity but give up alot as far a workrate and lateral movements.
It's the caf so all threads turn weird.
Worked for Patrick Vieira.
Massive potential & has done very well in the few senior games I've seen him play. Stands out massively when playing underage & has won player of the tournament in a few tournaments with some exceptional players playing in them. He was also played a year up with England's u15s/16s which doesn't happen very often at that age level. All the big clubs have been after him for at least 3/4 years & his family have already turned down some ridiculous offers. I'd love to see us doing a deal & letting him keep playing in the championship for 12-18 months but from what I've heard him & the family are very loyal to Birmingham so can't see it happening unless Birmingham really need the money.
This is such a weird take. Nobody is saying he is exactly like Pogba. No player is exactly like another. They're humans. A comparison is only meant to clue in some fans who haven't seen him as it's a rough comparison. Saying Bellingham is like Pogba doesn't mean he's Pogba of today where he regularly puts a ball over the top for his teammates. Pogba didn't have that in his locker consistently as a kid. We didn't see Bellingham play for the academy like we did Pogba. What we have are u16 and u17 matches for England.
Yes he does play on the advanced left side of the midfield. He does have this stroll like Pogba has. Similarly he does have some good footwork to get himself out of trouble or to start an attack. Yes he can dribble past players. I haven't seen him score belters that Pogba used to, but then again, I haven't seen him play at u18 and u23 level for Birmingham. They're in different situations and thus we as watchers don't have as much evidence as we would for one of our own youth players. You're comparing the amount of footage United fans could use of Pogba as a 16-18 year old playing for United's u18&u21 level. It's an unfair comparison. You're essentially saying "Hey, why didn't 15 year old Bellingham have as much highlights as a 3 year period of Pogba playing for the u18s and u21s at age 16 to age 18?"
Remember, when people make comparisons, you have to pigeon hole players into groups. He's more like a Pogba type than he is of other midfield types right now. That's not controversial
Nope I am asking if his highlights dont showcase his best attributes if they are making a Pogba comparison. Clearly the answer most are saying is yes it does not. Though you are pointing out key differences, such as Jude doesnt score wonder goals and is perhaps less mercurial and more consistent. The rest of what you are saying is just waffle.
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Being languid in possesion has worked for a lot of top CM's Veira being just one, being Languid out of possession however hasn't worked for too many top CM. Good workrate should still be expected from Languid CM's the two shouldn't be mutually exclusive.
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Depends if they are good highlights. Watching a young player be a regista and control a game is highly impressive. Anyway you can watch game highlights of him as an 18 year old making his senior debut for Barcelona. Lets just say he looked ok. Didnt see much Pogba in him though.
Edit: forgot to mention, but if you think Xavi only hit short passes you really dont know his game. It was more like 5 yard, 30 yard, 8 yard, 5 yard, 20 yard, 10 yard, 40 yard. Like a bloody metronome. I am sure he looked a god in the academy.
Depends if they are good highlights. Watching a young player be a regista and control a game is highly impressive. Anyway you can watch game highlights of him as an 18 year old making his senior debut for Barcelona. Lets just say he looked ok. Didnt see much Pogba in him though.
Edit: forgot to mention, but if you think Xavi only hit short passes you really dont know his game. It was more like 5 yard, 30 yard, 8 yard, 5 yard, 20 yard, 10 yard, 40 yard. Like a bloody metronome. I am sure he looked a god in the academy.
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Should do all well can to get him this window, and loan him back for 18months. He's getting first team football there and doing well, something that he wouldn't get here even with our lack of midfield options. He can come back to the club when he's 18, ready to be in and around the squad and training with the first team.
No it's just pointing out that your contention isn't a well thought out contention. Bellingham doesn't have a United fan base to create highlights for him over a 3 year period at u18 & u21 level while he is age 16, 17, and 18. Bellingham just turned 16 this summer and has been playing men's football at age 16.
We don't know whether he scored those wonder goals or if he would be any less mercurial because the two players are in different situations at the same age. The comparison is made over what type of player they are, not over minute details. Garner for example has scored some worldies this season. Would it be correct to say he plays like Pogba simply because in his highlights he scores belters? No. That's not what Garner gives you consistently every single game. He's a different type of midfielder.
Here is another highlight vid that I haven't seen yet, however it's a bit longer than the one posted.
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Ooo I do love these debates. So they are both rangy 8s who like that part of the field? With that I am fine.
Look forward to seeing how he develops.
Well if he's a sure thing I do hope we sign him. The more talented youngsters the better.
No such thing.
Looks like a very talented player for his age. Youngsters are always a gamble as to whether they will fulfill their potential. He would be worth it if the fee isn't crazy. Can see him getting game time under Ole in the cups and as a sub.
Disagree.
Come on. You've watched enough football to know there is no such thing as a sure thing when it comes to young players. I'm pretty sure many thought Ravel Morrison was a sure thing.
Well no because his background/people around him was always commented on. This guy is playing in the championship at 16 ffs. It's impossible to say just how far he can go but in terms of playing a good to excellent level, I'm very confident he'll be there.
Anymore news on this?
Both looked technically miles ahead of this kid though; Levitt and Garner kick the ball infinitely better too. He’d need a few years in the academy redefining the basics of his game, or he’ll be another John Bostock.
He's considered one of the finest talents in his age group and rated extremely highly. He doesn't need to redefine the basics of the game at all and needs to carry on what he's doing.
Pogba was very hot and cold at youth level for us and Bellingham thus far at the same age is ahead of him.
That was sort of the point I was making but it seems to have fallen on deaf ears. At 16 you are looking at technical ability, football IQ, and hopefully a high ceiling athletically. This kid looks very very composed for his age but also extremely physically mature for 16, hence why he can play in the championship. That for me is not a huge plus, but a big question mark. Pogba is a guy who can literally do anything with a football and his raw techinal skills get compared to some of the greats like Zidane etc. The frustration with him is him mentality to dominate and control a game.
Now can this kid go on progressiving and maturing and improving. I saw a few nice bits of skill in there and some technical ability but as you say its nothing mindblowing and therefore the worry is that he is just an early bloomer.
I can only think this is some sort of wind up.
This is nonsense...he is already playing a much higher standard of football...he needs nothing of the sort.
It would be mental.
Shame there's seemingly been no more noise about this apart from the one story, or am I wrong?
FM20 legend. Glad we’re monitoring him
What he is doing at his age is very impressive but it does not indicate whether someone can step up to the Prem and/or play for one of the biggest clubs in the world.
He can take a sad side and make it better.
Scouts from some of the biggest clubs in the world believe he has the the ability to play for their respective clubs..
Sorry I shouldnt say indicate, but guarantee. Anyway by the nature of these things if we were to bet on this the odds are strongly in my favor.... most highly rated teenage talents dont turn into superstars or even top pros. There are a handful who are outrageous at a young age... Ronaldo, Ronaldo, Messi, Mbappe, Rooney. Very small sample and very obvious. He has a chance but he is not in this category.
Of course they would. Scouts have an agenda these days.....make money
There's no guarantee with any talent at 16 even the ones you mention. CR7 for example wasn't even considered the biggest talent at SCP for example. Hindsight is great though.
Bellingham at 16 is technically superb and is considered one of our biggest talents in his age group. And like with Mejbri, we should push the boat out and sign him now if possible before he ends up at say a Leicester, and his price goes through the roof. For a club with our resources, this strategy we've adopted under Nicky Butt where we seem to be targeting the very best youth players is a low risk, high reward strategy.
I said teenage talent not 16 exclusively. Anyway I think Cristiano played that game against us at 17, where he played some of the best in Europe and was outstanding, and joined at 18. Outrageous talent and fulfilled it. But there was no doubt he would become a top flight footballer, but becoming one of the greatest of all time was a bonus.
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