Real Madrid are confident in signing Jude Bellingham from Borussia Dortmund next summer and believe he has followed their advice in shaping his future.
Liverpool have been credited with an interest in Bellingham on a number of occasions in the past, with Jurgen Klopp thought to be a big fan. Meanwhile, rivals Manchester City and Manchester United are also apparently admirers of the reported £83million-rated Englishman.
Birmingham City academy graduate Bellingham has been a revelation since moving to the Bundesliga in 2020 and has evolved into a key player for both Dortmund and England. After racking up 20 goal contributions in all competitions for the German giants last year, Premier League clubs have been keen to bring the highly-rated 19-year-old back to English football.
The Reds are among the frontrunners to land the England international, who previously spent some time on Merseyside when he was playing at Under-11 level. He had a two-day trial at the club's Kirkby academy and impressed, enjoying a tour of the facilities. He is believed to be a priority transfer target for Reds boss Jurgen Klopp.
However, Mirror Football understands that Real Madrid are likely to prove a major obstacle for the Reds and their domestic rivals with the Spanish club gaining confidence in their hopes of landing the talented central midfielder next summer.
The European champions have been tracking Bellingham since his time at Birmingham City and the player is aware of their long-standing interest. The midfielder was informed directly by the Spanish club this summer that they would move to sign him next summer, and not to renew his Dortmund deal or seal an exit from the Bundesliga this year – advice which he followed.
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The midfield star is said to be open to a move to the Spanish capital, something that Real Madrid as a club are aware of. Their decision to sell Casemiro this summer was demonstrative of how open they are to rejuvenating their team to fund their long-term transfer objectives.
That followed Madrid’s signing of Aurelien Tchouameni from Monaco and the arrival of Eduardo Camavinga, complementing the resurgence of Fede Valverde. Luka Modric and Toni Kroos are likely to require greater rotation in the seasons to come, while Dani Ceballos is likely to leave Real Madrid next summer.
Bellingham is set to be in high demand next summer and will have a lengthy list of admirers with Dortmund likely to cash-in at a premium value. They fought off competition from Liverpool to land Tchouameni this summer, with a similar battle set for next year.
