Jude Bellingham: Why Danny Murphy is surprised ‘best kid around’ is joining Borussia Dortmund over clubs like Manchester United

Danny Murphy admits he is surprised English wonderkid Jude Bellingham has opted to join Borussia Dortmund.

The 17-year-old Birmingham starlet will join the Bundesliga giants in a deal worth around £25million following the Blues’ final Championship game of the season on Wednesday night.

3

This is despite major links to Manchester United, who even invited Bellingham to their Carrington training complex and enlisted Sir Alex Ferguson for help.

Nonetheless, the attacking midfielder has decided to take the same route as England star Jadon Sancho, who also chose Dortmund as the best route for his career development.

While things have worked out quite well for Sancho, Murphy remains unconvinced that moving abroad at such a young age is the right move - especially when Premier League clubs were interested.

3

"I'm surprised he's going to Dortmund if I'm honest," Murphy told talkSPORT.

"When you're a young lad, developing your life to football is hard enough. To do it in a different country and learn a new culture and language, you're adding new things to the plate.

"You're in a position where you aren't just focusing on training every day.

"I know he's a super talent and I admiring him for doing this - I'm just surprised when he had other options."

3

Murphy is not surprised, however, that Europe's top clubs all courted Bellingham, having been tipped off about the England youth international last year by his brother.

"The lad's a talent. My brother works in recruitment, he's at Everton right now," Murphy added.

"He told me this kid is the best around. He's the best young one, he's got the lot, he can be whatever he wants to be."