Sir Jim Ratcliffe is too late to give Manchester United the transfer they wanted most

Every time an England-supporting Manchester United fan sits down to watch the Three Lions these days, a thought of 'what if' must creep into their minds.

Jude Bellingham, not for the first time in the last 12 months, wowed onlookers, both those inside Wembley and those watching on TV, as he played a key role in helping England clinch Euro 2024 qualification on Tuesday night. The Three Lions came from behind to beat Italy 3-1 and book their place in next summer's finals in Germany.

Though Harry Kane and United ace Marcus Rashford did the bulk of the damage, scoring the three goals between them, it was Bellingham who was the star of the show, producing yet another jaw-dropping performance. It is hard to believe he is only 20 years old.

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Every time he received the ball, something was expected to happen. He won the penalty that enabled Kane to bring Gareth Southgate's side level before leading the counter-attack that teed up Rashford to make it 2-1.

His progressive, energy-fuelled bursts from midfield are vital to the way that England play. He makes the team tick and it is easy to understand why so many clubs were clamouring for his signature prior to his June move to Real Madrid, for whom he has enjoyed a breathtaking start, scoring 10 goals in as many games so far.

United, though it never felt like it would be possible, refused to rule out the prospect of signing Bellingham until he had put pen to paper on a long-term deal in the Spanish capital. The Reds, who invited Bellingham and his parents to Carrington in March 2020 for a tour of the club's training ground, were weighing up a