Jude Bellingham next club named, with shock lowball bid to secure ‘imminent’ agreement as Liverpool, Man City, Real Madrid battle ends

A surprisingly modest agreement to sign Borussia Dortmund ace Jude Bellingham this summer is ‘imminent’, with both a report and Fabrizio Romano revealing who the midfielder will join out of Liverpool, Man City and Real Madrid.

The future of Jude Bellingham was a subject that always promised to dominate the transfer headlines running up to the 2023 summer window.

Bellingham is already one of world football’s premier midfielders despite being just 19 years of age. A move – even for the gaudy figures Dortmund were commanding – seems certain to prove worth its weight in gold.

Bellingham could conceivably be a club’s best midfielder for the better part of the next 15 years. As such, heavyweight interest was widespread.

Ultimately, the chase boiled down to three clubs: Liverpool, Man City and Real Madrid.

The Reds surprisingly pulled the plug on their pursuit in early-April once it became apparent signing Bellingham would limit their ability to sanction other signings.

Reports out of Germany claimed Dortmund would demand in the range of £125m-£135m for Bellingham. Combined with add-ons, agent’s fees and a colossal salary, Liverpool decided enough was enough and began pursuing alternative targets.

Now, a report from Spanish outlet Marca has revealed it’s Real Madrid who’ll beat Man City to the signature of Jude Bellingham.

The outlet state Real are ‘about to finalise’ a move, with the player already signalling his intention to move to the Bernabeu. An ‘agreement in principle’ has been struck and a firmer commitment will soon follow.

Man City are understood to have accepted they’ve been beaten and have duly withdrawn from the running, as Liverpool did before them.

Negotiations over personal terms are advanced and Bellingham will reportedly sign a six-year deal running until 2029.

Real secure sizeable Bellingham discount

On the subject of cost, Marca add Dortmund had hoped to generate around €140m (approx. £124m) for Bellingham.

However, Madrid are confident they can close a deal for a more modest sum in the region of €100m-€120m. That equates to £88m-£106m, though Marca suggest the final fee will be towards the top end of that span.

Another positive for Real is the claim Bellingham will accept a lower salary to join Real Madrid that he was being offered by Liverpool and Man City.

Football Espana piggyback on the report and suggest the idea of following in the footsteps of Bellingham’s idol, Zinedine Zidane, has been a factor in that regard. Zidane is a legendary figure at the Bernabeu for what he achieved during both his playing and managerial days.

Confirming Marca’s report to be accurate, trusted journalist, Fabrizio Romano, added weight to the story on Twitter.

Romano tweeted Real are “close” to completing the deal for Bellingham and negotiations are reaching the “final stages”.

Personal terms are “almost agreed” and a fresh meeting has been scheduled to iron out the remaining details.

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