Juventus are the latest top club to monitor
the progress of Birmingham's teenage star
Jude Bellingham.
The 16-year-old midfielder is one of the brightest
talents in the English game and has lit up
the Championship this season, making 28 league
appearances and scoring four goals.
Blues cannot offer Bellingham a professional
deal until he turns 17 on June 29 and they
are ready for the Champions League elite to
fight for his signature.
Now Juventus, winners of the last eight Serie
A titles, are keeping a close eye on Bellingham
as they look to build a squad for the future.
Fabio Paratici, the chief football officer
at Juventus, has a strong network of contacts
within English football and has helped bring
in players from there like Paul Pogba, Carlos
Tevez, Patrice Evra and Aaron Ramsey.
But Juventus face a difficult task to win
the race given Chelsea, Manchester United
and Arsenal have all shown a strong interest
in Bellingham, who still earns £145 per week
as a scholar at St Andrew’s.
Bayern Munich are also thought to have shown
an interest as Bellingham continues to improve
at a staggering rate in the Championship.
Blues boss Pep Clotet said: 'We are aware
of interest in him.
From the beginning he has been watched since
he was 13 or 14.
'For the Middlesbrough game half of Europe
was here.
He is used to it and I am used to it.
'I have always said it is very good that clubs
show interest in our players because this
means that we have good players.'
