Real Madrid are on the verge of agreeing Jude Bellingham deal
Real Madrid are closing in on agreeing a sensational deal for Jude Bellingham… with the Spanish giants beating off competition from Manchester City for the Borussia Dortmund and England midfielder
- The future of Jude Bellingham has dominated transfer talk in the last 12 months
- Real Madrid have accelerated their pursuit and are now closing on an agreement
- He will add to Real Madrid’s young midfield core as they target a squad overhaul
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Real Madrid are in advanced talks to sign Jude Bellingham from Borussia Dortmund.
A fee is still to be finalised but Madrid are increasingly confident that agreement will be reached for the £130million-rated England midfield star.
Bellingham has been the most coveted target for the summer following his outstanding performances both for Dortmund and then England at the World Cup.
However, Liverpool, long considered favourites for his signature, declared they were out of the race last month citing escalating costs of the proposed transfer with the Anfield club unwilling to spend so much of their budget on one player.
Pep Guardiola’s Manchester City, and rivals Manchester United, will continue to watch negotiations as they wait in the wings with lucrative offers for the 19-year-old but Madrid believe the player wants to join them following a series of meetings in recent months.
Jude Bellingham is closing in on sealing a sensational summer switch to join Real Madrid
Carlo Ancelotti has been pursuing the England star and the Spanish side are now closing in
Dortmund (left) have nurtured his game and he put it on display for England at the World Cup
The Champions League winners have yet to put their bid to Dortmund, and are likely to propose an initial £100m, but do not anticipate any issues over agreeing a final fee and expect to make Bellingham a Madrid player by the end of June.
Madrid’s hugely influential chief scout Juni Calafat, who is understood to have met Bellingham’s father Mark at the Chelsea Harbour Hotel in London last month, wants Bellingham to lead the club into a new era and form a formidable midfield alongside Aurelien Tchouameni and Eduardo Camavinga.
Toni Kroos has also extended for another year and coach Carlo Ancelotti wants Luka Modric to stay for 12 more months to aid the transition further.
Madrid have been off the pace of La Liga leaders Barcelona this season but face Manchester City in the semi-finals of the Champions League, a trophy they have won 14 times.
The Dortmund star has been Real Madrid’s top target and is the key to their summer business
Indeed, in what could be seen as part of a long courtship, Bellingham and his family were invited into Zinedine Zidane’s private box to view last year’s final against Liverpool in Paris.
Regarded by many as the most complete midfielder of a generation, Bellingham has made 52 appearances for club and country this season, scored 12 goals and provided seven assists.
His transfer will also present a windfall for former club Birmingham City who secured a 15percent sell-on when Bellingham left for Dortmund in 2020.
Still a Birmingham fan, Bellingham was in the stands at Coventry City last weekend, alongside pop star Tom Grennan, to cheer on his young brother Jobe who is also set to move this summer.
When Jude last turned down overtures from Premier League clubs, it was because he believed he would find a greater pathway to first team football with Dortmund.
Bellingham was previously heavily linked with a move to Liverpool but manager Jurgen Klopp ruled out big-money summer signings as he needs to make multiple additions with his budget
Manchester United thought so highly of him, they rolled out a welcoming committee of Sir Alex Ferguson, Eric Cantona, Bryan Robson and Ole Gunnar Solskjaer in a bid to convince Bellingham to choose Old Trafford but he opted for the Bundesliga instead and that decision has proved a fruitful one.
Former England captain Robson remains an admirer and had been hoping United could sign the more mature Bellingham this time around.
‘He has everything you want from a midfielder,’ said Robson. ‘He can tackle, go box to box, pass and he has started to add more goals.
‘He may not be the quickest but he has got a good football brain and that make him quicker to anticipate actions than others.
‘I first saw him as a 16-year-old holding his own in the Championship against men. He’s still a teenager now but plays like a seasoned professional. His attitude and work ethic means whoever he signs for will be getting a very, very good player.’
