Rio Ferdinand reveals why Real Madrid sensation Jude Bellingham rejected the chance to join Manchester United

Rio Ferdinand has revealed that Real Madrid's Jude Bellingham previously rejected Manchester United as they didn't give him the reassurance of regular playing time.

After his brief but glorious stint with Borussia Dortmund, Bellingham has had a sensational start to his life at Real Madrid. The 20-year-old has already scored 13 goals in 13 appearances across all competitions this season.

Given the trajectory of his meteoric rise, there's no reason to doubt that Bellingham has managed to carefully plot the next step right from the very start. A recent revelation from Ferdinand might further highlight the maturity and clarity in the young midfielder's decision-making.

The former England international disclosed that he learned from a source that before joining Dortmund in 2020, Bellingham was in talks with Manchester United over a possible move.

But eventually, the former Birmingham City man decided against joining the Red Devils. This was due to the lack of willingness from the club to hand Bellingham a first-team role.

"Do you know what I heard it was, he wanted some assurances about being a first-team player. And [Manchester] United weren’t willing to give him those assurances, that’s what I heard from a very good source," Ferdinand said on his Vibe with Five podcast.

"He wasn’t given assurances of being around the first team and he’s said, ‘Do you know what, I know my worth, I know my value and if you don’t value me the way I see myself I’m going to have to jog on and go to another club’."

United might have a reasonable explanation for not committing to first-team assurances back then. However, the gift of hindsight and Bellingham's brilliant exploits of late do make the decision look atrocious.

For the English midfielder, meanwhile, the eventual transfer to the German club worked wonders. It acted as a launchpad for the ongoing glorious spell with Real Madrid.

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A look at Jude Bellingham and his breathtaking form at Real Madrid

First El Clasico of the season, the first El Clasico of his career, but Jude Bellingham just didn't fumble on Saturday, October 28. The English midfielder scored a brace, including a 92nd-minute winner, and led Real Madrid to a crucial 2-1 victory at Barcelona.

The match was a spitting image of how Bellingham has transformed into the talisman for the Los Blancos since arriving from Dortmund for €103 million. With 13 goals in his first 13 games at the club, Bellingham has already equaled the starts of Cristiano Ronaldo and Alfredo Di Stéfano.

It hasn't been just about the goals though. Often when Carlo Ancelotti's men have lacked the character to fight back, Bellingham has been one of the driving forces in the squad to put his hand up and make things happen. His eagerness off the ball and composure off it has made the former Dortmund star a crucial component of this Real Madrid outfit.