Birmingham City's Jude Bellingham is likely to join Borussia Dortmund over Manchester United as he prepares for a St. Andrew's exit this summer. 

The 16-year-old has established himself as one of the most talented youngsters in England following his performances for Blues in the current campaign and such form has caught the eye of the elite.

It had been reported that the Red Devils used Sir Alex Ferguson as part of their pitch to convince Bellingham and his family that Old Trafford should be the next destination for the midfielder, however the Independent revealed last night that Dortmund are set to win the race for the teenager.

They claim the player believes moving to the Bundesliga will be best for his development and it also won't shut the door on a potential switch to the Premier League in the next few years if he continues to improve.

The Black and Yellows have many success stories when it comes to helping youngsters grow, with England winger Jadon Sancho the obvious example and the update claims that has helped Bellingham make up his mind.

The verdict

Unfortunately for Birmingham, it was inevitable that Bellingham would move on this summer and it's no surprise to see some of the top clubs around Europe are battling for his signature.

From Blues' perspective, they need to demand a big fee for the player because he is a serious talent and that money then needs to be reinvested to help the new manager next season.

Most fans will understand the appeal of Dortmund for Bellingham and they will be wishing the local lad great success when the move is finalised, which is likely to be in the coming months.

Thoughts? Let us know in the comments below.