Erling Braut Haaland has reportedly urged Manchester City to sign his former Borussia Dortmund teammate Jude Bellingham.
Bellingham has quickly established himself as one of the brightest young talents in European football since joining Dortmund from Birmingham City in 2020, working his way into the England starting lineup on a regular basis in the process.
The 19-year-old starred as the Three Lions began their World Cup campaign with a 6-2 hammering of Iran on Monday, netting the opening goal as part of a man-of-the-match display to help England make their best-ever start to a major tournament.
Bellingham's header to break the deadlock in Qatar was his first goal for England, adding to a burgeoning list of achievements from this season alone which includes becoming the first English teenager to score in four successive Champions League games, and Dortmund's youngest-ever captain.
The England international is widely expected to leave the German outfit next summer, with a who's who of Europe's top clubs expected to compete for his signature.
© Reuters
Liverpool, Real Madrid, Chelsea and Manchester United are among the clubs to have been linked with a move for the midfielder, while Man City are also understood to be monitoring his situation.
CBS reports that the English champions have already been given a glowing recommendation of the player by Haaland, who left Dortmund to move to the Etihad Stadium last summer.
Manager Pep Guardiola has also publicly praised Bellingham this season, with Dortmund and Man City having been drawn together in the same Champions League group.
While Bellingham's transfer saga next summer is expected to become one of the biggest of all time, for now his focus remains on the World Cup, where his England side will take on USA in their second group game on Friday.
Victory in that match would seal the Three Lions progress into the last 16 with a game to spare, ahead of their closing match against neighbours Wales.