Real Madrid News
Bellingham ‘imagined’ playing for Liverpool for few years before joining Real Madrid – report
Real Madrid are steadily making positive strides in their bid to sign Jude Bellingham this summer. The Borussia Dortmund midfielder is ready to quit Bundesliga in favour of move to Santiago Bernabeu and all parties are nearing an agreement.
Bellingham’s potential move to Real Madrid could serve as a major blow for Liverpool, which, at one point, were the favourites to sign the Dortmund starlet.
In a recent article for the Caught Offside, Bundesliga journalist Christian Falk has commented on Bellingham’s transfer situation, explaining why the midfielder ended up opting for a Real Madrid move despite having a clear intention to join the Reds.
Accordng to Falk, Bellingham had ‘imagined’ playing for Liverpool soon after his Dortmund stint. He wanted to play for the English giants for a few years before eventually joining Real Madrid with more experience and prestige.
It is worth nothing that one of Bellingham’s all-time favourite footballers is former Liverpool superstar Steven Gerrard. And he could have had the golden opportunity to become an ideal long-term solution for the Reds in that position.
However, Liverpool were never really in the fray as they did not want to spend a fortune on one player, at a time when the Reds had to address multiple problems throughout the first-team.
Another possible reason listed by Falk as the reason behind Bellingham’s decision to opt for Real Madrid over Liverpool is his father’s high commission and a change in FIFA Laws regarding taxation for agents from October.
Bellingham’s father wanted to wrap up a deal in the summer and couldn’t wait beyond, knowing the new FIFA laws would be applicable from October. Real Madrid were willing to pay for the high commissions of his father while Liverpool simply did not.
In a season where Real Madrid have largely struggled to keep pace with leaders Barcelona, Arda Guler has been one of the few bright sparks.
Despite his limited minutes, the Turkish international has shown that he is capable of becoming a first-team regular for Los Blancos, especially at a time when others, including Vinicius Jr. are struggling to make an impact.
Guler was notably named in Real Madrid’s five-player star of the month for September and the player could soon be rewarded with a contract extension as well.
New contract for Arda Guler
According to AS, Guler has agreed terms for a new deal at Real Madrid, in what could be the club’s first major renewal for the new season.
The young Turk’s current deal at the Bernabeu expires in 2029. But the renewal will ensure his future at the club at least until 2031.
The new contract will effectively acknowledge Guler’s growing role in the Real Madrid first-team and include a salary-increase.
The negotiations between the two parties had started last month and has now come to fruition, with Guler more than happy to continue his chapter at Real Madrid.
He also joins a long list of Real Madrid players with long-term contracts, including Yan Diomande, Vinicius Jr., Marc Cucurella, Aurelien Tchouameni and others.
An important season ahead
With the contract likely to be finalised soon, Arda Guler’s main goal will be continue to his form when the season restarts next weekend.
The forward has been involved in four goals in seven matches this season. With Vinicius and Diomande struggling for form, the Turkish international will have an excellent opportunity to become a regular starter for Jose Mourinho throughout the course of the campaign.
Mourinho, for his part, must identify how to get the best out of both Guler and an in-form Jude Bellingham. If the two can somehow work together in the final third, Real Madrid could find themselves dominating most matches.
