MY ACCOUNT
Birmingham starlet George Hall, 17, is attracting attention from Premier League and Bundesliga clubs following his recent performances for the England Under-18s.
And it is difficult not to draw parallels to Jude Bellingham, who is already starring for Borussia Dortmund and the Three Lions after leaving the West Midlands for Germany aged 17.
Leeds and Southampton are among the interested parties as well as teams in the German top flight.
Ahead of Birmingham’s clash with Nottingham Forest on Saturday, LiveScore looks into the duo’s careers to see if Hall should follow Bellingham to Germany, move to the Premier League or stay put at St Andrew’s.
Bell of the ball
History seems to be repeating itself for Birmingham’s youngsters, with 18-year-old Bellingham setting an example for others to follow.
Joining the Blues’ academy as a seven-year-old, Bellingham rose through the youth ranks and made his first-team debut a month after his 16th birthday.
His performances earned him a regular spot and after racking up 44 appearances for his hometown club, he joined Dortmund in a £25million move in 2020 despite interest from Manchester United — making him the most expensive 17-year-old ever.
Bellingham chose Dortmund because of their reputation for developing young players like compatriot Jadon Sancho and with 84 first-team appearances for the German giants, his decision has been justified.
The Bundesliga outfit are said to be demanding over £100m to let the midfielder leave, with United again among the interested parties.
After seeing his former side linked with Declan Rice, Old Trafford legend Andy Cole said: “£150m for a holding midfield player? That’s a lot of money.
“Not sure how many goals he’s going to get you from that position.
“We were just talking, if the opportunity comes about when Rice is available in the summer and you had Bellingham come available, who would you spend your £150m on?
“Personally, I would go with Bellingham. He’s 18 years of age and creates chances, he scores goals.
“For such a young man, his ability is absolutely frightening. Bellingham has something extra, just energy.”
Hall to play for
Like Bellingham, Hall joined Birmingham at the age of seven but lacks the experience of his fellow Englishman having made just one senior appearance — starting in the No10 role behind Troy Deeney in a 2-1 defeat to QPR.
But the attacking midfielder has earned rave reviews for his performances in five outings for the England Under-18s, having earned his first call-up last November.
Birmingham handed Hall a first professional contract last year in the wake of interest from Premier League clubs.
And the playmaker looks set to have a decision to make this summer with a host of scouts attending his recent outings.
Former Blues academy manager Mike Dodds said of the talent in 2020: “George has been at the club since pre-academy.
“He was a very versatile player in the younger age groups before holding down a regular position in the centre of midfield in his Under-16s season.
“Athletic and box-to-box, he has started to show good signs of progression both technically and tactically.”
Should he stay or should he go?
Hall’s next step should be to determine where he will get the most first-team opportunities.
Following Bellingham to Germany would be an option — although former teenage prospect Reece Oxford’s struggles on loan at Borussia Monchengladbach are a cautionary tale.
If he would like to stay closer to home, both Leeds and Southampton have a reputation for bringing through young talent.
But unlike Bellingham, Hall is yet to play regular football in the second tier and with Birmingham set to avoid the drop he might be best served fighting for his place at St Andrew’s.
