Manchester United may be monitoring Jude Bellingham, but Birmingham coach James Beattie has warned that “potential is a dangerous word” and the 16-year-old will dictate his own future.

A teenage sensation on the books at St Andrew’s is said to be drawing admiring glances from the Premier League.

It is expected to be only a matter of time before a top-flight heavyweight buys into the potential of the youngster, who already has 35 senior appearances to his name.

United are said to be leading the chase, with Ole Gunnar Solskjaer having tinkered with recruitment plans at Old Trafford to shift focus onto stars of the future.

Bellingham would fit the bill, but it would take big money to prise him away from Birmingham.

The Blues have no intention of parting with a hot prospect who needs regular game time to maintain his impressive development and will leave any calls on future moves up to a prized academy graduate.

Beattie, who is working with Bellingham as a first-team coach in the West Midlands, told Sky Sports: Jude’s a very good player. He’s a very nice young man as well, which is very important.

‘He’s a good person – but potential is a dangerous word.

‘I think if Jude keeps his feet on the ground and keeps developing, then he’ll be a very, very good player.

‘I just think there’s a lot of pressure on him at the moment. He handles it very well and I just think he needs the right sort of people around him giving him the right sort of advice.

‘Like I say, if he keeps his feet on the ground and his head strong, which he’s more than capable of doing.’

Beattie added: ‘Jude’s best advice is to just concentrate on his football, let that do the talking, and then when it comes to the decision, makes sure it’s a decision that he’s happy with, and that he’s not making the decision on behalf of somebody else.’

Bellingham made history in August 2019 when he became Birmingham’s youngest-ever senior star, with a debut against Portsmouth in the Carabao Cup at the age of 16 years and 38 days.