Erik ten Hag performed Man Utd transfer U-turn after Jude Bellingham's four-word comment

Erik ten Hag was forced to perform a U-turn in Manchester United's pursuit of Jude Bellingham after the Real Madrid star played down rumours of an Old Trafford move as "silly".

It’s difficult to picture Bellingham playing anywhere but Real Madrid after his ground-breaking debut season in Spain. Having made the move from Borussia Dortmund last summer, the 21-year-old is already an iconic figure at the Santiago Bernabeu.

Bellingham's impressive tally of 23 goals across all competitions was instrumental in driving Real Madrid to both the league title and European glory, establishing himself as one of football's preeminent stars. Yet, only a year ago, his future was the subject of speculation, with clubs from around Europe circling Dortmund's Westfalenstadion in the hope they could get their clutches on England’s biggest star.

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Manchester United were among those fighting for his signature, with Ten Hag desperate to fill the void left by Paul Pogba's departure the previous year. In a rare public display by a manager at the top level, Ten Hag openly expressed his desire to land Bellingham in April 2023.

When prompted by a fan outside United's training ground to sign Kylian Mbappe and Bellingham, he responded with a smile, saying: "Why not?" before driving off.

That was despite Bellingham openly rejecting United in a video uploaded on social media just a month prior. The Euro 2024 superstar was asked: “Are you gonna come Man U?” while taking a photo with a fan, before chuckling and responding: "No. Don't be silly."

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