Manchester City: Jude Bellingham didn't want to sign for a 'plastic club' – report

Jude Bellingham reportedly rejected Manchester City as he didn't want to move to a 'plastic club'.

Bellingham continues to be strongly linked with a marquee switch to Real Madrid this summer, after Liverpool opted against signing the Borussia Dortmund and England star due to his enormous price tag.

Dortmund are said to want €150m (just over £130m) for the 19-year-old, who has rapidly become one of the top midfielders in world football since joining the Bundesliga giants from boyhood club Birmingham City three years ago.

Real appear to be in pole position to secure Bellingham's services, but City were thought to be in the race.

However, according to German journalist Patrick Berger, Bellingham and his family ruled out the Premier League champions, allegedly viewing them as 'plastic' – along with other clubs backed by Gulf states such as PSG and those with a 'crazy transfer strategy' like Chelsea.

With that in mind, it's hard to see Bellingham returning to England during the next transfer window unless Manchester United make a somewhat unexpected approach.

The Stourbridge-born prodigy is currently trying to help Dortmund win their first Bundesliga title since 2011/12.

As things stand, BVB trail arch-rivals Bayern Munich – who have been champions of Germany for the past decade – by a single point with three games of the campaign remaining.

Bellingham has enjoyed easily the best season of his career to date in 2022/23, scoring 13 goals in all competitions and becoming the youngest player ever to wear the BVB captain's armband.

He started all five of England's 2022 World Cup matches, bagging his first international goal to open the scoring in the Three Lions' 6-2 group-stage victory over Iran.