Transfer Talk: 17-year old Jude Bellingham signs for Borussia Dortmund from Birmingham City

Teenage sensation, Jude Bellingham, who has been described as “the best player on the planet” for his age, and with the biggest clubs across Europe falling over themselves to sign him has finally completed his move to Borussia Dortmund from Birmingham City for a fee in excess of £26m.

The 17-year-old English midfielder completed a medical in Germany on Thursday after Dortmund persuaded him to move to the Bundesliga club over Manchester United, who had also made him an offer.

Bellingham, who is the Blues’ youngest player, will leave the Championship club after their final game of the season on Wednesday.

“I’m incredibly excited to have joined one of Europe’s biggest clubs,” says the England Under-17 international.

“The direction they are heading in and how much they help to improve young players made it an easy decision for myself and my family.

“I can’t thank Birmingham City enough for what they have done for me, not just this past year but since the age of seven. Once a blue always a blue.”

It is understood Birmingham will receive a guaranteed £25m upfront with an extra £1m of almost-guaranteed money, and ‘several million more’ depending on appearances, achievements, and milestones.

Bellingham is still only on a schoolboy contract with the Championship club, which would normally mean he could have signed a professional contract with any other team and the fee decided by a tribunal.

But Birmingham was able to demand a high fee because they had a professional contract ready for Bellingham to sign, and an agreement with the player and his family that they would sign if any other club suggested he move for free and go down the tribunal route.

He follows in the footsteps of Jadon Sancho, who moved to Dortmund in 2017 and has since gone on to become one the stars of the Bundesliga and an England international.

Jude Bellingham has made 35 appearances for Birmingham this season, scoring four times and assisting on two occasions.