Real Madrid announced the signing of midfielder Jude Bellingham on Wednesday morning. With a reference to The Beatles’ song “Hey Jude,” the Los Blancos officially confirmed the arrival of the 19-year-old player, who has been with Borussia Dortmund for the past three seasons.
Bellingham’s contract with the Spanish club will run until June 2029, spanning six seasons. On Thursday, the player will be presented at Real Madrid’s training center. The transfer fee amounts to 103 million euros, with additional bonuses of up to 30% of the official transfer value that the club may pay.
Vini Jr welcomed his new teammate. At Real Madrid, Bellingham represents a continuation of the strategy to recruit young talents. In recent seasons, the club has had success with players like Vinícius Junior, Rodrygo, Federico Valverde, Tchouaméni, and Camavinga.
Jude Bellingham has chosen Real Madrid
The new signing also serves as a natural successor to the experienced Luka Modric and Toni Kroos. Bellingham was one of the most sought-after athletes in the summer transfer market, with interest from clubs such as Liverpool, Chelsea, and Real Madrid.
However, the Spanish club’s desire to have the player defend their colors weighed in their favor, and Bellingham had reportedly reached an agreement with Real Madrid a few weeks ago, according to the local press. Bellingham joined Borussia Dortmund in 2020 after his debut professional season with Birmingham, where he emerged from the youth ranks.
The young talent made a name for himself in German football and quickly became one of the team’s key players during his three-year tenure. The player is expected to be one of the stars of the Real Madrid squad.
He was named the Bundesliga’s Player of the Season but narrowly missed out on the league title in the final match, a home defeat against Mainz, where he did not play. His only trophy with Dortmund was the DFB-Pokal (German Cup) in the 2020/21 season.
