Real Madrid Completes Signing of Jude Bellingham from Borussia Dortmund in £115m Deal
Real Madrid has finalized the transfer of England midfielder Jude Bellingham from Borussia Dortmund on a six-year contract. The Spanish giants have agreed to pay 103 million euros (£88.5 million) for the 19-year-old, with potential add-ons that could raise the total deal value to 133.9 million euros (£115 million). Bellingham, who began his career at Birmingham City, will be officially presented as a Real Madrid player in a ceremony scheduled for Thursday. Expressing gratitude to his former club, the young midfielder acknowledged the significant moments he experienced at Dortmund and stated his commitment to his future endeavors.
Record-breaking Transfer:
Jude Bellingham, one of England's standout performers at the previous World Cup, received recognition as the Bundesliga's Player of the Season as Dortmund narrowly missed out on winning the league title on the final day. The initial transfer fee of 103 million euros makes Bellingham the second most expensive English footballer in history, following Jack Grealish, who joined Manchester City for £100 million in 2021. Moreover, Bellingham's acquisition marks Real Madrid's second most expensive signing after Eden Hazard's 115 million euro move from Chelsea in 2019. Additionally, the transfer makes Bellingham the third most expensive teenager ever, with Paris St-Germain paying Monaco 180 million euros for Kylian Mbappe in 2018 and Atletico Madrid spending 126 million euros to secure Joao Felix's services from Benfica in 2019.
Impressive Performance at Dortmund:
During his time at Dortmund, Bellingham achieved remarkable milestones, becoming the club's youngest captain at the age of 19 in October last year. In the 2022-2023 season, he featured in 42 matches for the club, contributing 14 goals and seven assists to their campaign. Dortmund's chief executive, Hans-Joachim Watzke, expressed gratitude to Bellingham for his passion and contributions, while also acknowledging the fair and constructive discussions held with Real Madrid during the transfer negotiations.
Bellingham's Journey and Sell-On Clause:
Birmingham City received £25 million from Dortmund for Bellingham's transfer in 2020, making him the most expensive 17-year-old player in football history. The Championship club is now set to benefit further from a sell-on clause included in the deal, with reports suggesting they will receive a seven-figure sum as part of Bellingham's move to Real Madrid. Currently recovering from an injury that sidelined him for Dortmund's final game of the season, Bellingham has been named in Gareth Southgate's England squad for the upcoming Euro 2024 qualifiers against Malta and North Macedonia, although he will not participate in the matches.
Conclusion:
Real Madrid's acquisition of Jude Bellingham represents a significant investment in one of England's brightest talents. The highly rated midfielder's impressive performances at Dortmund have earned him recognition and a place in the history books as one of the most expensive English footballers and teenagers ever. As Bellingham embarks on his new journey with Real Madrid, football enthusiasts eagerly anticipate witnessing his continued growth and contributions to the sport.
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