ALMOST OFFICIAL: Real Madrid will sign €100m Jude Bellingham - Nicolo Schira

Carlo Garganese

• Updated: 22 May 2023 06:40 BST
• 4 min read

Real Madrid are close to completing a deal to sign Jude Bellingham, Nicolo Schira has confirmed.

Negotiations are complete, reports the Italian journalist, who says that a €100 million base transfer fee has been agreed with Borussia Dortmund.

There will also be bonuses added to this €100m fee to raise the price further.

European Assists King 2022/23

Bellingham has agreed a contract until 2029 with the Spanish giants.

Madrid had emerged as the favourites to sign Bellingham in recent weeks, according to multiple sources, moving ahead of Liverpool, Chelsea and other interested parties.

Liverpool had been considered as favourites earlier on in the season for the Borussia Dortmund star due to their excellent relationship with the player and his family.

But Madrid moved ahead in the race and made him their number one midfield target for 2023.

Madrid are in the process of renewing their legendary midfield, with Casemiro joining Man Utd last summer and both Luka Modric and Toni Kroos seeing their contracts expire at the end of the season.

Bellingham is seen as the perfect player to complement Aurelien Tchouameni, who was signed for €100 million from Monaco last year.

The Englishman is one of the hottest properties in football right now.

What other clubs were interested in signing Bellingham?

Until recently, Liverpool had been considered favourites, but there was strong interest elsewhere.

As well as Real Madrid, Chelsea, Man Utd, Man City and PSG have all been reported to want to sign him.

Bellingham was one of the young stars of the 2022 World Cup, scoring one, assisting one and being arguably England’s best player as they reached the quarter-finals.

Dortmund were always expected to sell their star man this summer, having decided against losing him in 2022 during the same window that they lost Erling Haaland to Man City for €60m.