Manchester United legend Rio Ferdinand has claimed Chelsea transfer target and Borussia Dortmund midfielder Jude Bellingham is too good for Manchester United.

Ferdinand has tipped the England international to join Premier League rivals Manchester City instead.

Speaking on his Vibe With Five podcast, Ferdinand remarked that Bellingham has already demonstrated the ability and the maturity required to lead the Three Lions.

“A lot of the time we see the football player and we say ‘what a player blah blah blah’ but you’re not sure what’s going to happen off the pitch because they’re young and they can make mistakes and there is an element of being naive in certain situations.

“This kid, in the way he carries and presents himself, could be captain now.”

Ferdinand added: “No, I actually think if you put yourself in Jude Bellingham’s shoes right now you have for instance, [Manchester] City are going to be in for him. Real Madrid are going to be in for him, Barca are going to be in for him, Bayern will probably go in for him.

“There’s too much work to be done at United, It is whether he thinks ‘you know what, I can be the catalyst to pull this club where it should be’ that is the only way he goes.

“If he thinks he can be that guy than Man United is the club for him but I don’t see him taking that decision.”

Ferdinand also claimed that Bellingham is ‘ahead’ of where several iconic English midfielders were at his age.

“We’ve had great midfielders play for England in our generation down the years. Scholes, the Gerrards, the Lampards to name three, Gascoigne etc.

“None of those guys were doing what Jude Bellingham is doing at this age on the world stage, none of them. This kid’s playing Champions League football the lot, he’s doing everything. 

“I’m not saying he’s better than them, I’m not saying he’s going to be better than them but right now, at this age, he’s doing what none of them have done. He’s ahead.”