BBC pundit Rio Ferdinand is backing Borussia Dortmund midfielder Jude Bellingham to join Manchester City next summer.

The England international’s reputation is rising fast with his excellent performances at the World Cup. The likes of Liverpool, Chelsea and Manchester United have also been credited with an interest in the player, but Ferdinand believes he will decide to link up with the Premier League champions:

“I think he will [join Manchester City], yeah. He’ll say, ‘listen, I’ve got a couple of mates there, English boys. I can go to Madrid in five years.’ There’s no rush. I just think he thinks: ‘you know what, I’m the superstar. I’m going to win the Premier League, because I’m an English born boy. And then I’ll go to Madrid and I’ll do the same there in a few years’.”

Manager Pep Guardiola will be looking to sign a new midfielder in the summer. Captain Ilkay Gundogan could leave on a free transfer and there is uncertainty about the future of Bernardo Silva, so recruiting Bellingham is likely to be on the agenda.

Dortmund’s asking price could be an issue, though. Reports suggest that the Bundesliga side may demand around €150m (£129m) for the teenager, which means the Citizens would have to break their transfer record in order to secure his services. Whether they are prepared to do that, we shall have to wait and see.