Report: Real Madrid prepare big Bellingham bid amid competition from England
Real Madrid are prepared to submit an offer of at least €100 million for Borussia Dortmund's Jude Bellingham and are determined to accelerate transfer talks for the midfielder in January, sources told ESPN's Alex Kirkland and Rodrigo Faez.
The Englishman is reportedly considered a priority signing for next season, and Los Blancos believe they're in a good position to beat clubs from Bellingham's homeland to his signature. Liverpool have been strongly linked with a move for the 19-year-old for some time, and there could be further competition from Chelsea, Manchester City, and Manchester United.
Real Madrid have already held positive talks with Bellingham's representatives, Kirkland and Faez report, and it's hoped that the good relationship between club president Florentino Perez and Dortmund CEO Hans-Joachim Watzke will help see the deal over the line.
Despite Bellingham's superb performances at the World Cup, Real Madrid hope to land the Dortmund star for a reasonable fee, with €100 million apparently viewed as a sensible figure.
Real Madrid signed Aurelien Tchouameni ahead of Liverpool and other interested clubs last summer and are continuing to rebuild their midfield in the Spanish capital. Twenty-four-year-old Federico Valverde was in excellent form before the World Cup break, and Eduardo Camavinga, 20, is a prodigious talent, but Luka Modric and Toni Kroos - aged 37 and 32, respectively - are both in the autumn of their careers.