Real Madrid Sign Jude Bellingham in £113m Deal

Real Madrid Sign Jude Bellingham from Borussia Dortmund on a Six-Year Deal

Real Madrid have made a significant signing by acquiring the services of England midfielder Jude Bellingham from Borussia Dortmund on a six-year deal. The Spanish giants will pay an initial fee of 103m euros (£88.5m) for the 19-year-old, which could rise to 133.9m euros (£115m) if various potential add-ons are achieved. Bellingham, who started his career at Birmingham City, will be presented as a Real Madrid player at a ceremony on Thursday.

Bellingham, who was one of England’s top performers at last year’s World Cup, was named the Bundesliga’s player of the season as Dortmund missed out on a first league title in 11 years on the final day. He played 42 times for his club in 2022-23, scoring 14 goals and registering seven assists. Bellingham excelled at Dortmund where, in October last year, he made history by becoming the club’s youngest captain aged 19.

The initial fee means he becomes the second-most expensive English footballer after Jack Grealish, for whom Manchester City paid Aston Villa £100m in 2021. Bellingham is also Real Madrid‘s second-most expensive signing, after Eden Hazard’s 115m euro move from Chelsea in 2019, and the third-most expensive teenager in history. Paris St-Germain paid Monaco 180m euros for France forward Mbappe in 2018, while it cost Atletico Madrid 126m euros to sign Joao Felix from Benfica in 2019.

“We thank Jude for three years of passion for Borussia Dortmund. It was a fantastic time together,” Dortmund chief executive Hans-Joachim Watzke said. “We would also like to thank Real Madrid for the always fair and constructive discussions.”

Bellingham has been included in Gareth Southgate’s latest England squad for the upcoming Euro 2024 qualifiers against Malta and North Macedonia, but will not feature in the games. The player will instead continue his rehabilitation in the England set-up as he recovers from the injury that kept him out of Dortmund’s final game of the season.

In conclusion, Real Madrid’s acquisition of Jude Bellingham is a significant move that highlights the club’s ambitions to strengthen its squad for the upcoming season. With Bellingham’s impressive performances at Dortmund and his potential to develop further, he is a valuable addition to Real Madrid’s midfield. It remains to be seen how the young midfielder will perform at his new club, but Real Madrid fans will undoubtedly be excited to see Bellingham in action.