Sky Sports pundits clash live on TV as former Man City star claims Pep Guardiola would refuse Jude Bellingham signing
SKY SPORTS pundits Danny Mills and Lee Hendrie were embroiled in a tasty debate over Jude Bellingham potentially playing for Manchester City.
The 20-year-old England midfielder has enjoyed a stellar first season at Real Madrid, scoring 20 goals and racking up eight assists in 29 appearances.
Bellingham’s incredible form has arguably made him the best midfielder in the world, although former Man City defender Mills doesn’t believe Pep Guardiola would take him at this moment in time.
During a recent edition of Sky‘s Soccer Special, he said: “If you offered Bellingham to Pep now, I’m not sure he’d take him.
“Because he doesn’t fit into that midfield.”
Mills’ claim left former Aston Villa midfielder Hendrie absolutely flabbergasted, with the 46-year-old saying: “What a bad shout that was.
“Wouldn’t want Bellingham in his side?”
Mills refused to back down, insisting Bellingham wouldn’t displace any of City’s current midfielders – despite his insane debut season at the Bernabeu.
He hit back: “But he wouldn’t. Who would you put him in instead of?”
Hendrie replied: “He had the likes of [Ilkay Gundogan in his side where he goes and plays forward.”
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That prompted Mills to ask: “But would he play ahead of [Phil] Foden, [Kevin] De Bruyne, Rodri, Bernardo Silva? Would Pep buy him? Does he need him?”
Hendrie continued to fight his corner by saying: “Bellingham is one of the best players in the world.”
A passionate Mills then said of Guardiola, who once hailed Bellingham as the ‘whole package’: “He’s got that incredible balance in the midfield.
“He doesn’t play ahead of Kevin de Bruyne, who we’ve just said is the best midfielder in the world.”
Hendrie quickly snapped back at the notion that he thinks Bellingham would relegate De Bruyne to the bench
“I’m not saying he does,” he said. ‘I’m saying he plays in that team.”
Hendrie was left perplexed after Mills then claimed Guardiola wouldn’t drop either Rodri or Silva to accommodate Bellingham, asking: “You don’t think so?”
That question prompted Mills to simply say: “Not the way City play.”
Hendrie, however, refused to back down, insisting Bellingham would get into “any team” before jokingly claiming he’d even have him “play in goal”.
Bellingham will miss Real’s trip to Rayo Vallecano on Sunday due to the ankle injury he picked up in Los Blancos’ 4-0 win over Girona last Saturday, in which he scored a brace.