Manchester CityManager Pep Guardiola was highly praised Borussia Dortmund midfielder Jude Bellingham ahead of the two sides’ Champions LeagueMatch on Tuesday
Guardiola said the 19-year-old England international has “a special mentality”.
He added: “I think Dortmund is a perfect place for young talented players to come. Perhaps Bellingham could be a top player if he went there. Premier League team he wouldn’t get the minutes. A young player can improve his skills by playing minutes.
“At 17, he arrived. It’s not just about the quality, he had a special mentality. It’s quite impressive that he is already one the captains of his team at the age of 19.
“It’s not just about the goals, the whole package is really good. He’s already playing for England19. We know the quality he has.”
Bellingham provided two assists and scored eight goals in 17 matches this season for Dortmund in all competitions.
The midfielder has also made 15 appearances for England, including starting both of their Nations League fixtures during last month’s international break.
Bellingham’s Dortmund contract will expire in two years next summer. Many clubs, including City, have expressed interest in signing him. Manchester United, ChelseaAnd Real Madrid.
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Guardiola also spoke about fixture congestion in relation to next month’s World Cup in Qatar, saying “loads of players will miss the World Cup because of the insane fixtures”.
Guardiola said: “This is the first time in our lives this happened so we don’t know how players will come back from the World Cup.
“If six come back as champions they will be very happy, or they could come back depressed. Some might be knocked out very early and go on holiday.
“But loads of players will miss the World Cup because of the insane fixtures. We will see when they come back, we will smell it then the routine on a daily basis will adapt.”
The World Cup starts on November 20th. You can find all the details here. The latest news about the tournament can be found here.
(Photo: Getty Images).
