Pep Guardiola Gives Away Admiration for Jude Bellingham Amid Manchester City Links

The spotlight once again beamed on Jude Bellingham ahead of Borussia Dortmund’s Champions League encounter with Manchester City. The England midfielder is one of the exceptional young players being pursued by top clubs.

The youngster who left England in search of regular football at Borussia Dortmund back in 2020 has grown in leaps and bounds. He has been one of their shining lights, featuring regularly for the German side in both domestic games and the Champions League.

Possessing natural leadership ability as well as stupendous talent, the young midfielder has become an integral part of both his club and the national team setup. He is one of the few names almost guaranteed a place on the plane to Qatar with the Three Lions.

But just like the likes of Ousmane Dembele, Christian Pulisic and more recently Erling Haaland, after excelling at the Signal Iduna Park, European heavyweights have begun to circle for his signature. Liverpool, Manchester United, Chelsea and Manchester City have been the most linked with a move for the young player.

As if to impress his admirers even the more, the 19-year-old distinguished himself at the Etihad Stadium by scoring the only goal for the German side in a 2-1 loss. But as Dortmund face Manchester City in the return leg of their Champions League matchup, the midfielder is once again the opposition player to look out for.

Asked about the player's qualities, Guardiola held nothing back in pouring out unreserved praise for the youngster. The City boss identified several qualities that mark out the midfielder as one of the very best players of his generation.

“I said when he was 17, it wasn’t just the quality, it was about he was shouting, leading, kicking, and going to the referee. I thought this guy was something special in terms of the mentality. Now, at 19 years old, he is already one the captains of the team, and when that happens at 19 years old it is quite impressive,” said Guardiola.

“The quality and skills, everyone knows it, but it’s not just about that. It’s about the whole package. He’s really good. He’s already in the national team playing with them at 19. That is quite impressive. We know the quality he has but we will try to impose our quality on the game and win the game.”

Dortmund’s games against City offers Guardiola and his assistants a chance to take a closer look at a player that could very well be at City next season.

Although the interest from several other top teams could lead to a long drawn-out battle for the player’s signature, if the City boss decides based on what he has seen up close that this is a player he wants to add to his team, City could start laying the groundwork for his arrival in the summer.