Rio Ferdinand believes that England midfielder Jude Bellingham turned down a move to Manchester United in 2020 due to a lack of guaranteed regular first-team opportunities.
United made significant efforts to sign the midfielder three years ago, even inviting him and his parents to the club’s Carrington training base in March, just before the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic.
At the time, Bellingham was with Birmingham City and attracting substantial interest.
However, the 20-year-old, who is currently regarded as one of the best players in the world, opted to join Borussia Dortmund in July of the same year.
He believed that Dortmund would provide him with the best platform to elevate his game to the next level. During his nearly three-year stint with the Bundesliga club, he made 132 appearances and scored 24 goals.
In June, Bellingham was acquired by Real Madrid, where he has excelled, netting 13 goals in his first 13 games, including a brace in a 2-1 victory over Barcelona.
United, as reported by the Manchester Evening News in December, had not ruled out the possibility of making a second attempt to sign Bellingham in the most recent transfer window