Birmingham City's Jude Bellingham is one of the brightest talents in the Football League right now after enjoying a superb start to the season in the Championship.

He has grabbed two winning goals in seven games for Pep Clotet's side and his overall ability on the ball combined with his mentality has prompted speculation that he will leave.

German giants Bayern Munich are the latest elite club to have been linked with the 16-year-old and you can understand why Bellingham is on the radar of such a team.

It's rare to have someone his age play in a league that is as relentless and physically demanding as the Championship and the fact he has not only coped, but thrived, shows that the hype around him is justified.

However, Bellingham also needs to be wary of what moving too soon can do to his career and it's why he needs to think carefully about which direction he wants to go.

And, for now, that should mean staying at Blues.

As you would expect, he is already a fans favourite at St. Andrew's and he clearly has the respect of the dressing room and the trust of the manager.

That's all you can really ask for as a teenager. He is at a good club that will let him progress naturally and there won't be as much pressure on him to succeed as there would be if he secured a big-money move elsewhere.

Additionally, the most obvious benefit is that he is playing first-team football. Whilst there are advantages to moving to a Champions League level club, such as working with top coaches, the reality is that he is years away from getting near the first-team. Everyone knows that.

So, playing every week for an U23 side or a development team is not going to bring the same benefits as learning on the job in the Championship. It is an environment where you are tested physically and mentally and even if there are some setbacks along the way, he will grow as a player on the whole.

Turning down life-changing money and the opportunity to join a club like the German champions is difficult, however Bellingham's short-term future lies at the only club he has known so far.

If he continues to develop in the way that many expect, then Bayern Munich will be one of many queuing up for the midfielder but that is a long way off.

It's a case of one step at a time for the youngster right now, ensuring that he can make an instant impression when that big move arrives instead of spending years on the sidelines wondering if he will get a chance.

Thoughts? Let us know in the comments below.

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