Manchester United prepared to offer Jude Bellingham first-team role with Joe Hugill and Marc Jurado set to sign

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Manchester United want Jude Bellingham to immediately challenge for a first-team place if they win the race for the Birmingham starlet this summer.

Despite being just 16-years-old, the midfielder is seen as a generational talent capable of joining straight up with Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s squad.

At a potential cost of around £30million he will be the highest-profile recruit of an aggressive drive to land the best emerging talent from across the globe.

It is a strategy that pre-dates Solskjaer – but one that dovetails perfectly with a manager committed to creating a pathway from the academy to the seniors.

Striker Joe Hugill, also 16, is set to sign from Sunderland and will go down the more traditional route of age group football.

Marc Jurado, a 16-year-old right back from Barcelona, is also due to complete a £1.5m move in what is seen as a major coup by United and perhaps goes some way to explaining their lack of interest in Manchester City-bound Yan Couto.

Photo: Liverpool FC via Getty Images
Liverpool FC via Getty Images

Couto – a Brazilian right back – was courted by some of Europe’s biggest clubs and eyebrows were raised when United were not among those to make a serious move.

Should Bellingham, Hugill and Jurado all arrive, they would follow in the footsteps of Hannibal Mejbri – a £9million signing from Monaco – and Ajax starlet Dillon Hoogewerf who joined last summer.

Photo: Instagram/MarcJurado04/
Instagram/MarcJurado04/

Promising Czech goalkeeper Radek Vitek is also joining the scholars for next season.

Mejbri, in particular, represents a major investment and, to date, the most compelling example of United’s willingness to pay heavily for unproven potential and save fortunes down the road.

It’s a model that has been exploited spectacularly by Borussia Dortmund.

The German club sold Ousmane Dembele to Barcelona for £135.5million just a year after signing the winger from Rennes for around £13million.

The £8million they paid Manchester City for Jadon Sancho should increase more than 10-fold, with United leading the race for the winger this summer. But United’s strategy differs from Dortmund’s.

Photo: Getty Images
Getty Images

They are not primarily recruiting to make a profit – rather attempting to save hundreds of millions in transfer fees in what was a rapidly increasing market before the coronavirus pandemic.

As well as staying true to the club’s finest traditions of producing their own talent, they are also prepared to buy it in at costs never before seen at Old Trafford.

Sir Alex Ferguson mined rivals’ academies, with Paul Pogba and the Da Silva twins cases in point in his final years at United.

But that has stepped up significantly as Ed Woodward has ordered a restructuring of their scouting network.

They have actively looked to step up operations overseas. Last year a call was sent out for experts in France and Spain to identify “world-class and emerging talent for the club, ensuring a talent pipeline and a world class first team squad.”

Mejbri has since arrived from Monaco, with Jurado set to follow from Barcelona.

There is also huge confidence in the quality of player still coming through United’s academy.

Teenagers Mason Greenwood and Brandon Williams have made their breakthroughs to spectacular effect under Solskjaer this season. James Garner is considered an elegant midfielder of immense promise.

In Pictures | Manchester United 2020 summer transfer targets: Strikers

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But there are others described as “about to sit their mock GCSEs and probably going to sit on Santa’s knee” who have academy coaches just as excited.

That isn’t to say Solskjaer won’t be heavily active in the market this summer.

As well as Sancho, he is targeting Jack Grealish, James Maddison and competition for Anthony Martial up front.

And, of course, Bellingham, who represents the type of business that is becoming increasingly prevalent as United explore new ways to stay ahead of the game.

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