Jude Bellingham’s decision to snub Man Utd transfer is good for England, says Arsenal legend Lehmann
ENGLAND will benefit from Jude Bellingham swapping Birmingham for Borussia Dortmund, Jens Lehmann reckons.
The former Germany and Arsenal goalkeeper thinks 17-year-old Bellingham will develop on the field and off it in Bundesliga.
Bellingham moved to Dortmund in the summer for an initial £25million fee after turning down a move to Manchester United.
He followed in the footsteps of the likes of Jadon Sancho and Rabbi Matondo to swap England for Germany at a young age.
Bellingham has played 31 times in all competitions for Dortmund this season and made his England debut last November against Ireland.
He became the third youngest Three Lions player ever, and ex-Gunners stopper Lehmann thinks the Bundesliga has played a big part in his rise.
Lehmann, 51, told talkSPORT: “I don’t feel that because when you come from Birmingham, a team out of the Premier League, then you expect something of him.
“I like him as a player; his posture, his physicality, but also his technique. And he can score goals at a very young age.
“So it is good for the Bundesliga that, all of a sudden, young English players go the other way round.
“Before it was always German players going to England, now it is the other way around.”
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Lehmann left Dortmund in 2003 to join Arsenal and was part of their Invincibles team in 2004.
The 61-cap ‘keeper returned to Germany five years later after his Premier League experience.
Lehmann added: “It’s good for his personal experience, his development, just in case he goes back or plays for the English national team.
“But, right now, I guess he wants to experience the fantastic atmosphere of the Signal Iduna Park because due to coronavirus, there were not many occasions when people were allowed to come to the stadiums.”