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28th April 2023
01:52pm BST
Jude Bellingham has decided to move to Real Madrid this summer, according to reports in Spain.
The 19-year-old Borussia Dortmund midfielder is arguably the most-sought after player in the world at the moment.
Although his contract at Dortmund doesn't run out until 2025, it seems a matter of time of when, not if, he departs the club. Discussions over his future at Dortmund have been delayed throughout the season, and it is widely accepted that he will leave Germany this summer.
And it now seems like he has decided Madrid is where he wants to play his football next season.
AS reports that Bellingham believes a move to the Spanish giants is the best next step in his career, and is preparing to inform Los Blancos of his decision.
Real Madrid chiefs see themselves as being in a very strong position in negotiations now that Bellingham has his heart set on the Spanish capital, and this should also avoid them being dragged into a bidding war with Manchester City, who were their main rivals in the race to sign the former Birmingham City academy player.
The reigning European champions have a clear limit on what they are prepared to pay for him though, and are reportedly not willing to pay more than €120m (£105m) for him.
They will end their pursuit of the player if Dortmund hold out for more than this, but it is considered very unlikely that this will happen, with the German club surely knowing that their negotiating position will only weaken the longer the saga drags on.
Pretty much ever since the transfer window closed last summer, there has been intense speculation over Bellingham's future. For a long time, it seemed as if Liverpool were in pole position to sign him, but last month they ended their pursuit of the player, and have started looking for alternatives instead.
Bellingham has since been linked heavily with Manchester City, but Real Madrid have convinced him his future lies at the Bernabeu.
Real apparently sent a representative to Germany to speak to the teenager and sell the club to him.
The move would make sense for the 14-times champions of Europe. Although Toni Kroos and Luka Modric are both expected to remain at the club for at least another season - and Modric in particular showing no sign of decline in performances - they are both approaching the end of their careers at the ages of 33 and 37 respectively.
The signing of Bellingham would come off the back of Real signing Aurélien Tchouaméni, 23, last summer, and Eduardo Camavinga, 20, in the summer of 2021. Along with 24-year-old Federico Valverde, who signed for the club's academy in 2016, the Spanish club have assembled a staggering next generation of midfielders.
Before the summer though, Bellingham with have his heart and mind set on winning the Bundesliga title with Dortmund, who are one point ahead of Bayern Munich in the table with five games to play.
Bayern have won the last 10 titles, with Dortmund the last team to deny them the league when they won it in 2012.
Securing his club's first league title in more than a decade would no doubt be the perfect send off for Bellingham, and the perfect parting gift from him to the club that catapulted him to stardom.
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