Over a week after Borussia Dortmund announced the transfer, Real Madrid confirmed the signing of Jude Bellingham in a deal worth €103 million plus add-ons on Wednesday.

The Merengues presented the 19-year-old England international at a ceremony earlier today, where he was handed the iconic No. 5 jersey, worn by his idol Zinedine Zidane at the club in the past. Jesus Vallejo wore it last season, but handed it over to Bellingham.

Following his presentation and a few words by club president Florentino Perez, Bellingham interacted with the media and spoke about how it was an honour to join the biggest club in the world.

“I want to say thank you to everyone here, everyone watching online and at home. There are a lot of people for thank for getting me here. Dortmund, Mr President, Juni Calafat. Thank you very much. Finally, Hala Madrid,” he started off.

“It’s the most important day of my life because I’m coming to the best club in the world.”

Further elaborating on why he choose Real Madrid when he had a plethora of top clubs chasing his signing, Bellingham said he got good feelings about the team and that money was never a factor for him.

“The reason I said today is my best day is because Real Madrid is the best cub in the history of the game. Money is not a problem for me. It has never been. I spoke to Juni Calafat and Jose Angel Sanchez and I got good feelings about the club,” he said.

Talking about the No. 5 jersey he will wear, Bellingham thanked Vallejo for giving up the shirt, as he said: “Thank you to Vallejo for giving me his No. 5. I spoke to him about it and he was a very nice guy.”

“I admire Zidane very much, his legacy in this club and with this number. I’m different. It’s a number that inspires me. The 22 has been my number for a long time, but now I will take the 5. We’ll see in the future.”

“The shirt itself is a responsibility and the fact of wearing the ‘5’ may weigh more but for me it is a challenge to keep up with the number because Zidane was the best,” he further added.

When asked if he had held any conversations with manager Carlo Ancelotti, the England international replied: “I had a bit of contact with Ancelotti. What he has achieved is incredible. For me, he is one of the best ever.”

Bellingham’s England captain and teammate Harry Kane has also been heavily linked with a transfer to Real Madrid this summer. When asked if the Tottenham ace would arrive at the club, the midfielder replied:

“About Harry Kane, he is a world-class player and he is my captain but I have nothing to comment on in this regard.”

On choosing Real Madrid over Premier League clubs, Bellingham said: “I think the respect England has for Real Madrid is extraordinary and the pedigree in Europe is very important.

“I’ve been watching games from previous years and this has always interested me a lot. They have the greatest history in the world and they have always had the best players.”

On how he sees himself at the club, he said: “I know that the demands of the club are important. I have a big responsibility and in terms of maturity, when you are 15 or 16 years old and you are already playing with grown-ups, as has happened to me, you get used to it, although I have to keep working.”

There has been a lot of talk about how Bellingham will share game-time with legends like Luka Modric and Toni Kroos, who are set to renew their contracts with the club for one more year. Talking about the veteran duo, the new recruit said:

“Sharing a dressing room with Modric and Kroos will be a priceless experience. It will be extraordinary and I hope to learn a lot from them. I’ll stick close to them and I hope it doesn’t bother them because I’m looking forward to learning.”

On the prospect of Kylian Mbappe possibly joining Real Madrid, the 19-year-old said: “Mbappé? That’s something I can’t comment on. He is one of the best in the world. I’ve seen what they say on Twitter but they don’t always tell the truth. Of course, he’s a great player and I’d love to play with him – who wouldn’t?”

Talking about the pressure of winning titles at Real Madrid Bellingham said: “The people of Real Madrid deserve to have a title every year. This year they haven’t won La Liga or the Champions League and that’s why I want to help them as much as possible to get back at it.”

“The trophy room was the most impressive thing for me. You can’t wait to pick one up with your own hands.”

On when he knew he would sign for the club, the teenager replied: “The exact moment I know I’m going to play for Real Madrid is complicated to say. When they have played the last few Champions League finals I have seen them all and it is very special for me to be here.”

The midfielder also revealed that his England teammates tried to pressure him into returning to his homeland, but he was seeking a new challenge, which convinced him to choose Madrid.

“In the English national team everyone was asking me to come back but I wanted to get out of my comfort zone. It’s an opportunity I had to come here that I wanted to take and it’s not that the other teams are bad but that I wanted to come here,” he said.

“I know there is a lot of pressure around me and I know the level I have to reach to be here. It’s all part of a big learning curve,” Bellingham added.

On whether the big price tag weighs on him and adds pressure, the teenager said: “The price that has been paid depends on which newspaper we read. I don’t care about the price and I don’t even know it. I just want to help the team and as I’m not a lawyer or an accountant, I’ll talk on the field.”

“Expectations have always been very high for me. I hope this will help me to continue to learn and develop as a player,” he added.

Signing off, Bellingham gave a glimpse of what he thinks his best role is, saying: “I’m a midfielder who can do everything. Whatever the coach tells me will be the best because I will always try to help the team. Thank you very much, guys. Have a good afternoon.”

Source: Real Madrid TV