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Manchester Evening News
Manchester Evening News
Sport
Matthew Hobkinson

Former England manager compares Jude Bellingham to Manchester United great

Former England manager Sven-Goran Eriksson has praised Jude Bellingham as he revealed that the Borussia Dortmund star reminds him of Manchester United great Paul Scholes.

Bellingham has fast become one of the most sought-after talents in football. The 19-year-old impressed during England's World Cup campaign, with his performances attracting interest from a number of Premier League sides.

The teenager, who opted to move to Borussia Dortmund instead of United following his departure from Birmingham City two years ago, has had a meteoric rise during his time in Germany. It is not surprising to see a host of teams linked with the midfielder, as United look set to battle rivals Manchester City and Liverpool for his signature.

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Eriksson has now heaped praise on Bellingham, with the former Three Lions coach comparing the 19-year-old with United legend Scholes.

He told OLBG : "Jude Bellingham seems to have no nerves at all and has all the confidence in the world. He can dribble in tight situations and he's an elegant player, he can drift away with the ball. I really like Bellingham.

"Bellingham reminds me of Paul Scholes, he can dribble, pass and score goals. They're not exactly the same player, but if I was to compare him to anyone, I wouldn't say Frank Lampard or Steven Gerrard, he reminds me more of Paul Scholes."

Eriksson also admitted that Bellingham is showing a similar level of talent to former United striker Wayne Rooney, despite playing in different positions.

He added: "Wayne Rooney made his debut for England around the same age as Jude Bellingham, but he was a striker and finisher, he scored a lot of goals for England. The skill is there in Bellingham as it was in Wayne Rooney when he was 19. But it's difficult to compare them."

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