La Liga champions Real Madrid reportedly fear losing the race to sign Jude Bellingham, with Liverpool emerging as a top contender.
According to a report by Spanish publication MARCA, Liverpool’s entry in the race to sign Jude Bellingham has complicated the situation for Real Madrid. Borussia Dortmund might demand around €150 million to part ways with the English midfielder.
Jude Bellingham has become a hot property on the back of excellent displays at the club level. The teenage prodigy burst into the limelight at Birmingham City, setting records as a 16-year-old. And he has taken his performance levels up several notches since joining Borussia Dortmund a couple of years ago.
The English midfielder is now a pivotal figure for Borussia Dortmund, even becoming one of the captains at the Bundesliga outfit. Bellingham is enjoying an excellent 2022/23 season, chipping in with nine goals and two assists in 20 appearances. And the 19-year-old has seen his exploits capture the attention of Real Madrid and Liverpool.
Real Madrid will likely see Luka Modric and Toni Kroos retire in a year or two. So the reigning La Liga champions need to lay down a succession plan for the ageing midfield stalwarts. Bellingham has thus emerged as a viable target for Real Madrid, with recent reports claiming they fancy their chances of signing him.
Other reports have suggested that the Merengues are the front-runners to secure the services of the 19-year-old. But according to MARCA, fears are developing at Real Madrid about the emergence of Liverpool in the race to sign Bellingham from Borussia Dortmund.
Liverpool will reportedly prioritise signing Bellingham over other targets. But his price tag, worth €150 million, complicates matters for the Merseyside outfit. But the Reds want to beat Real Madrid to the English international after facing defeat in pursuing Aurelien Tchouameni. And with Los Blancos fearful about Liverpool’s presence, the Premier League giants will fancy their prospects.
But recent reports have claimed that the Reds fear they may be priced out of signing Bellingham. With FSG usually not loosening the purse strings, paying €150 million might be beyond Liverpool. However, Real Madrid will not shell out such a sum either, thus creating an intriguing situation for all parties involved.
