Manchester United have allegedly lost out to Borussia Dortmund in the race to sign Birmingham City youngster Jude Bellingham.

While United were provided with permission to show the teenager around their facilities earlier this year, they have always had stiff competition in the form of Dortmund.

Having already impressed in the Championship, previous reports have suggested that the 16-year-old wants to be provided with a pathway into the first team at his next club.

According to ESPN, that has led to the prospect opting for Dortmund, who have shown in the past that they are willing to give significant game time to their young players.

The report claims that a deal, said to be in the region of £18m, will be announced in the coming days.

With Bellingham having just a year left on his contract, Birmingham are happy to cash in on their most prized asset.