Hey Jude, don’t make it bad, says Pep
PEP CLOTET admits he can’t guarantee that wonder kid Jude Bellingham, 16, will still be a Birmingham player at the end of the month.
Clubs all over Europe are interested and Manchester United are thought to be ready with a £25million offer.
Bellingham (right) put the Blues ahead after four minutes and but for a terrific Alex Smithies save would have gone on to win the game.
Asked if Bellingham will still be at St Andrew’s come the end of the transfer window, Blues boss Clotet said: “I don’t know. I do have the feeling that Jude will stay. He is very happy here.
“He has played more than 20 games for us and that has a value. I am aware Jude is being watched.”
Bellingham’s goal, the fifth of his debut season, was very simple.
Dan Crowley’s corner was moved on by Jeremie Bela and the youngster was at the far post to score from close range.
Cardiff were desperate in the first half and went off to their 2,000 fans angrily chanting at manager Neil Harris to “sort it out” – and he did.
“The best thing for us was we had to walk past our fans who were great travelling in their numbers, at half-time,” Harris said. “So second half we played more direct and asked questions of Birmingham.”
Lee Tomlin got the 63rd-minute equaliser from Marlon Pack’s corner headed on by sub Callum Paterson.
It leaves Birmingham without a home win in their last seven league games – but that might not be Bellingham’s worry much longer.
EVERTON are lining up a sensational
£30million swoop for former Liverpool midfielder Emre Can.
Can is wanted by new Goodison boss Carlo Ancelotti after being told he is surplus to requirements at Juventus.
Inter Milan have also been monitoring the German international,
26, but are unwilling to match Juve’s asking price or the player’s
£100,000-a-week wages.
And that has opened the door for Everton to make a move – although there is a worry that Can’s Anfield past could be a problem.
The ex-Bayern Munich star has already made it clear that he would not agree to a move to Manchester United out of respect for Liverpool.
But it remains to be seen whether Everton’s fierce rivalry with the Reds will be a deal breaker.
Ancelotti is looking to strengthen the squad he inherited from Marco Silva last month.
He wanted to sign Can in the summer, when he was in charge of Napoli, but the fee being demanded by Juventus was deemed too high.
The Italian champions signed Can from Liverpool in 2018 when he refused a new deal on Merseyside.
SIMON MULLOCK