Jude Bellingham, 16, to stay at Birmingham on £145-a-week scholars deal for rest of season before Man Utd transfer – The Sun

JUDE BELLINGHAM will reportedly see out the season as a Birmingham scholar before a potential summer switch to Manchester United.

The Red Devils are competing with Borussia Dortmund to sign the teen sensation after his breakout season at St Andrews.

Long tipped to leave Blues at the end of the season, Bellingham is set to remain on his £145 weekly wage for the rest of the extended campaign.

According to the Mail, the 16-year-old and his family maintain a strong relationship with the club.

An amicable solution that benefits all parties is being discussed to ensure Birmingham are not left out of pocket when Bellingham makes his move.

The Championship club have experienced financial difficulty in recent years, with a winding-up petition dismissed in December and points deduction last season, amid debts thought to top £90million.

If the midfielder agrees to sign a professional contract after his 17th birthday in June, his future will be in their hands and a transfer fee must be accepted before he can leave.

Alternatively, Bellingham is able to sign on professional terms with another team – leaving Blues entitled to significantly lower training compensation payments.

For now, the player is able to see out the 2019/20 season on his existing scholar terms.

Bellingham's youth deal automatically ticks over onto a second year if no professional contract is signed, enabling him to add to his 35 appearances and four goals for Pep Clotet's team.

A fee of £50million has been touted for the Stourbridge-born starlet although the coronavirus crisis could have a significant effect on this deal.

Dortmund have talked down their chances of signing expensive players this summer with Ed Woodward asserting that United will also struggle to pull off big deals.

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