Bayern Munich look to hijack Jude Bellingham's £18m deal with Borussia Dortmund as race for Birmingham wonderkid - and Man United target - heats up again with just three days to go until he can sign a pro deal on his 17th birthday

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The race to sign Jude Bellingham could take a last-minute twist with Bayern Munich now hoping to lure the Birmingham City wonderkid with a late offer.

German rivals Borussia Dortmund looked to have beaten Manchester United to Bellingham's coveted signature, with the young midfielder impressed by their development of starlets such as fellow Englishman Jadon Sancho as well as a £60,000-a-week contract offer.

Bellingham will be able to sign his first professional contract when he turns 17 on Monday - he currently earns just £145 per week at Birmingham - meaning clubs now have just a few days to convince him to join them.

Jude Bellingham is set to turn 17 on Monday, when he will be able to sign for a big club

The Birmingham wonderkid is wanted by Manchester United, Bayern Munich and Dortmund

Dortmund are thought to already have agreed terms with Bellingham but, according to German media, do not yet have a transfer deal finalised with Birmingham. Kicker are reporting that Bayern could yet trump Dortmund by offering a higher transfer fee than their rivals, whose £18m bid had looked to have been enough.

The reported transfer figure will take the form of a training compensation, similar to the €7m (£6.3m) deal that saw Sancho move from Manchester City to Dortmund in 2018. 

But with such big clubs interested in Bellingham, Birmingham could yet use the countdown to Bellingham's birthday to their advantage and squeeze a higher bid from one of his suitors, according to Kicker.

Dortmund are thought to have won Bellingham's signature - but the race is not over yet

Bayern are reported to be making a last-minute move to stop Bellingham joining Jadon Sancho (pictured), another young English star who is flourishing in Germany, at Dortmund

Manchester United had pulled out all the stops to try to sign Bellingham, giving him a guided tour of their training ground in March and giving him an audience with Sir Alex Ferguson.

But Bellingham appears set on Dortmund - for now - meaning United are set to miss out on one of the game's brightest young talents to Dortmund for the second time this year, after Erling Haaland snubbed a move to Old Trafford to join the German giants.

However, Birmingham boss Pep Clotet insisted on Thursday that the Stourbridge-born midfielder had not yet made his final decision. 

'He has not indicated to me that he has made a decision,' Clotet said in his press conference.

'I understand as well there are opportunities abroad where the development of the player is something that must be considered as well.

'The only thing I would say is that whatever he picks or wherever he goes he takes the same ambition he has here, the same pride, the same focus on being better and helping the team.'

Bellingham has made 33 appearances since breaking into the Birmingham team this season, scoring four times and notching three assists, impressive figures for such a young player.