Jude Bellingham couldn't deliver the Bundesliga title as a leaving gift for Borussia Dortmund but he's still saying farewell in style.
The English midfielder, 19, is poised to join Spanish giants Real Madrid when the summer transfer window opens. Mirror Football understands that the move will cost Los Blancos up to £108million and Bellingham has been offered a lucrative six-year contract.
Not that the teenage sensation is short of cash, though, as it's been reported that Bellingham has been handing out a series of expensive gifts to team-mates and staff at Dortmund as a way of thanking them ahead of his looming departure.
German newspaper Ruhr Nachrichten claim that the England international and his mother, Denise, handed out a stash of presents following a team meeting on Sunday. They included a signed pair of football boots for a security guard at the club, writing the parting message: "Thank you!"
Bringing the Bundesliga trophy coming back to Dortmund for the first time since 2012 would've been the ideal way for Bellingham to sign off. Sadly for him, however, he watched as his team-mates blew by far their best shot over the past 11 years in heartbreaking fashion.
The 19-year-old was injured and unable to feature on Saturday, as Dortmund remarkably slumped to a 2-2 draw at home to Mainz in their final game of the season, all while reigning champions Bayern Munich won 2-1 at Koln. Bayern's victory secured them an 11th successive title, pipping Bellingham and co on goal difference at the end of a rollercoaster campaign.
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Bellingham's tears after the final whistle are set to be the last memory that Dortmund fans will have of their star, who's ready to head to Madrid after three years at the Signal Iduna Park, first joining aged 17 in a £25m deal. Having reflected on the final-day nightmare, which saw his team 2-0 down at one stage after missing a penalty, Bellingham took to Instagram.
"I still can't believe it went the way it did and we couldn't get ourselves over the line," the Birmingham City academy graduate wrote. "The boys that played gave everything and their efforts cannot be questioned, unfortunately we weren't decisive enough in the fine margin moments that occur in high pressure games.
"Personally, it was devastating to have to watch my team-mates suffer while I couldn't impact the outcome. I have never experienced an atmosphere like the one on Saturday created by you fans, I had goosebumps for the whole 90 minutes whilst only watching from the bench.
"Many times this season you have been the difference maker for us and in the end we’ve let you down by not being able to deliver the championship whilst it was in our hands. Hopefully this adversity will trigger a new era for the club where it can compete closely for trophies every year. This is what the city and its fans deserve."
