Manchester City transfer target Jude Bellingham has been hailed by Graeme Souness in the wake of his performances for England at the World Cup.

The Lowdown: Manchester City target Bellingham

According to reports from Sky Sports Germany, Manchester City are competing in a colossal three-way race with Liverpool and Real Madrid for Bellingham's signature, in a deal that could amount to £130m.

The central-midfielder is at the World Cup with England at present, and his performances will have only increased interest on Pep Guardiola's behalf, most recently starring in the 3-0 victory over Senegal to secure progression to the quarter-final.

The Latest: Souness' comments

After the starlet's impressive display last time out, Souness was quick to heap praise on the Man City target and also believes that potential big move will come in 2023, saying (via Manchester Evening News):

"I think he’s fabulous and destined to be a star, unless he gets a big head on those shoulders or he gets a bad injury.

"He’ll be getting a very good education where he is currently, and I’d imagine next year he’ll leave Dortmund."

The Verdict: Generational talent

Guardiola has previously described the midfield maestro as the "complete package", so it is no wonder that he wants to bring him to the Premier League in the near future.

In his last match for England, the youngster displayed his aptitude in a defensive sense, registering four tackles, while also winning more duels than any other player on the pitch, with 11.

This performance only adds to an already exceptional run of form with club side Borussia Dortmund, where the Englishman's attacking talents have also been on show, completing an average of 1.79 dribbles per 90 over the past year, an amount that puts him in the 95th percentile compared to positional peers throughout Europe.

Still at such a young age, the 19-year-old would be able to run the Man City midfield for the next decade, and so even though his price tag may seem extraordinarily high, he could just be worth every penny.