Liverpool could rue their decision to pull out of the race to sign Jude Bellingham in the summer after the star confessed that he wants to stay at Real Madrid for at least the next decade. Real ultimately landed Bellingham from Borussia Dortmund in June in a deal that could cost the Spanish giants £116million.
Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp is a long-time admirer of Bellingham and had been tipped to take the player to the Premier League. But in April, the Reds decided to abandon their hopes of prising the 20-year-old midfielder away from Germany, paving the way for Madrid to secure his signature.
Bellingham has started his Real career in sensational form playing in a more advanced position and has bagged an incredible eight goals and two assists in eight La Liga matches. The young ace has also found the back of the net in each of his side’s opening two Champions League encounters as Real have dispatched Union Berlin and Napoli.
Bellingham was in imperious form once again earlier this week as he helped England book their place at Euro 2024 courtesy of a 3-1 victory over Italy at Wembley. The former Birmingham midfielder won the penalty that allowed Harry Kane to equalise in the first half, before teeing-up Marcus Rashford for the Three Lions’ second goal in the second period.
And after the game, Bellingham revealed his long-term plan at Real in an interview with Channel 4. “This is the club I want to be at for the next 10 to 15 years of my life,” he said. “I am loving it there. [Real manager] Carlo [Ancelotti] basically said this position is where he sees me.”
And he added: “I am loving football at the minute. My management at club and country are giving me freedom to play it how I see it. Since the last few months, I have been really working on my timing getting into the box and as I am arriving I am arriving with a big hunger. With the big transfer the fact is I have to deliver, whether it is a goal or assist or a match-winning performance.”
Bellingham will be a key player for England at Euro 2024 as Gareth Southgate aims to go one better than he did at Euro 2020 where his team lost to Italy in the final. And following the player’s performance against the Italians, the Three Lions boss said: “It is the mentality that is the thing [with Bellingham].
“It’s the belief. Sometimes you see talent and you can see skill, but to have such belief and impact on the game and be so comfortable engaging with the crowd and all of those things, we’re very lucky.”
