Real Madrid have officially announced the signing of talented midfielder Jude Bellingham from Borussia Dortmund for a staggering £113 million.
The deal ensures that Dortmund receives £88.5 million upfront, but this figure can potentially rise to £113.5 million due to an additional £25 million in performance-related bonuses, which are considered attainable. It makes him the most expensive English player of all time.
With a desire to bounce back from a mixed season where they finished 10 points behind Barcelona in LaLiga and suffered a heavy 5-1 defeat to Manchester City in the Champions League semi-finals, Real Madrid’s manager Carlo Ancelotti made the acquisition of 19-year-old Bellingham a top priority for the summer transfer window.
Bellingham has signed a six-year contract with Real Madrid and will be officially presented by the club at a ceremony on Thursday, followed by a media appearance. The transfer will also yield financial benefits for Bellingham’s former club, Birmingham City, as they secured a 15% sell-on fee when he departed for Dortmund in 2020.
Bellingham, who is regarded as a highly versatile midfielder, moved from Birmingham to Borussia Dortmund at the age of 16 and has already experienced living abroad, making his transition to Madrid smoother with the support of his family.
Considered one of the most promising young talents globally, the 19-year-old has excelled at Dortmund since joining Signal Iduna Park. Over the course of three full seasons, he accumulated 132 appearances, scoring 24 goals.
He played a crucial role for Edin Terzic’s team this season, although they narrowly missed out on clinching their first Bundesliga title in 12 years on the final day.
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Real Madrid’s acquisition of Bellingham marks their third consecutive summer signing of exceptional young midfield talents, following the arrivals of Camavinga from Rennes in 2021 and Tchouameni from AS Monaco in 2022.
Manchester City and Chelsea were interested in Bellingham’s services, but the player did not consider them, while Liverpool, seen as a more realistic option, withdrew from the race in April due to escalating costs.
At one point last year, Manchester City believed they were leading the race to sign Bellingham, as they had discussions with Dortmund. Their optimism was fueled by a strong relationship between the clubs, having signed Erling Haaland and Manuel Akanji from Dortmund the previous summer. However, in recent weeks, City’s confidence dwindled, prompting them to shift their focus to Chelsea’s Mateo Kovacic.
Bellingham’s exceptional performances have solidified his reputation as one of the brightest young talents in the world. In his three seasons at Dortmund, he not only scored 24 goals in 132 appearances but also received several accolades, including the Bundesliga’s player of the season award. Moreover, he became the highest-scoring English teenager in the history of the Champions League.
His outstanding campaign also led to him captaining the team on several occasions, while he has earned 24 caps for the English national team since making his debut in 2020.
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