Jude Bellingham is ‘dreaming’ of moving to Real Madrid in the summer, reveals a private chat of the midfielder with his Borussia Dortmund teammates which was made public. This comes as a big blow to Liverpool, who have made Bellingham their top transfer target for the summer window. The 19-year-old has drawn the attention of Europe’s elite with back to back impressive seasons, and a summer transfer is now heavily anticipated.
While Liverpool were regarded to be the favourites to sign Bellingham, the equation it seems has undergone a change. Dortmund’s expected asking price for arguably their greatest asset after Erling Haaland, who is under contract until 2025, is estimated to be well over £100 million. And Jude Bellingham now ‘dreams’ of joining La Liga powerhouse Real Madrid, it is been alleged.
Zidane-fan Jude Bellingham ‘dreams’ of playing for Real Madrid
According to Spanish journalist Santi Aouna, Jude Bellingham has told his teammates at Dortmund that he ‘dreams’ of playing for Real Madrid and is eager to move there. Aouna also disclosed that the midfielder held a meeting at the Chelsea Harbour Hotel in London with his father and Real Madrid chief Juni Calafat. As evident, talks are already underway between the two parties to realise Bellingham’s dream of donning the famous whites of the Los Blancos.
Aouna further adds, Real Madrid legend and icon Zinedine Zidane had a significant impact on Bellingham’s choice who had even invited the England midfielder’s father to his executive box for the 2022 Champions League final. The Frenchman, who played for the 14-time Champions League winners between 2001 to 2006, and coached them in two different stints could play a key role in helping the Los Blancos sign Jude Bellingham.
Meanwhile, the contracts of Real Madrid duo Toni Kroos and Luka Modric expire at the end of the current campaign. However, Modric is rumoured to have stated his wish to stay at the Bernabeu for one additional year, while Kroos openly declared he is in talks with the club hierarchy about a new contract.
According to the Spanish publication MARCA, the Los Blancos’ manager Carlo Ancelotti has acknowledged that the ‘backbone’ of his team continues to be the ageing trio of Modric, Kroos, and captain Karim Benzema. The Daily Mail recently suggested that Real might wait a year to sign Bellingham until they can pay him a sizable wage. The Dortmund star might serve as Modric’s long-term replacement if the Croatian leaves the team by then.
It would not be good news for Liverpool however, who are still holding out the hope that Jude Bellingham will arrive at Anfield and resurrect Jurgen Klopp’s midfield. Bellingham reportedly wants to stay an integral part of England manager Gareth Southgate’s plans for Euro 2024 and is considering extending his stay in Germany. Yet Bellingham might not be able to resist the allure of Anfield or the Bernabeu.
The teenager was one of Southgate’s star performers during England’s World Cup campaign in Qatar after putting up a spectacular performance overall. As a result, Bellingham apparently wants to avoid doing anything that could endanger his status despite having secured a spot in the starting XI of the Three Lions, believing a move abroad might upset the apple cart.