Real Madrid News
Boost for Real Madrid as Liverpool fading away in race to sign €150 millon top target
David Ornstein, while writing for The Athletic, has affirmed that Liverpool are fading away in the race to sign Borussia Dortmund midfielder Jude Bellingham, leaving only Manchester City and Real Madrid as plausible suitors.
Bellingham’s ongoing deal with Dortmund runs until 2025 and it must be noted that since there is no release clause in his contract, the German team is not really obligated to sell the midfielder.
This means that there is a high possibility that the 19-year-old could become one of the most expensive midfielders of all time, as it is going to take a lot for Dortmund to change their stance on selling the youngster, with a fee of around €150 million being quoted.
This is exactly why Liverpool are slowly walking away from the chase. It has been highlighted before that Jurgen Klopp admires Bellingham a lot.
The fee, however, is going to pose a problem, as Liverpool simply cannot compete with the financial muscle of their other European counterparts.
It is not to say that Liverpool have completely given up on the chase, but Ornstein writes that given the situation at hand, the likes of Manchester City and Real Madrid are in better places to land the midfielder.
On top of everything, Liverpool’s current situation is not ideal as well. They are currently sixth in the Premier League standings and are seven points off of the UEFA Champions League qualification spots.
If they end up finishing without Champions League football for next season, their budget for the summer window is certain to take a hit.
As for Madrid, while the budget is not a problem, it remains to be seen whether or not they will fight financially with Man City for the 19-year-old.
The team from the capital city does need a midfielder given that Toni Kroos and Luka Modric are nearing the end of their respective careers, but as iterated before, signing Bellingham is going to be extremely tricky.
Real Madrid are set to kick off their Champions League campaign on Tuesday when they host Inter Milan at the Bernabeu.
Jose Mourinho’s side will be looking to bounce back after suffering their first defeat of the season, a 1-0 loss to Real Betis last time out.
And ahead of the crucial European opener, the Portuguese has received a timely boost, with Thiago Pitarch and Endrick both in contention to feature.
Pitarch and Endrick back in training
According to Arancha Rodriguez, Pitarch and Endrick returned to full group training on Sunday, alongside Aurelien Tchouameni, in the final session before the Inter clash. Both are now in contention to make the squad vs Inter.
All three had been sidelined by injury, with Pitarch having suffered a torn medial collateral ligament during pre-season and Endrick nursing a muscular problem.
Their return to team training is a welcome development for Mourinho, even if none of the trio are likely to start given they missed more than a month of preparation.
Of the group, Pitarch and Endrick are reported to have the best chance of making the matchday squad, with the pair now working to sharpen their fitness in the coming days.
Why Pitarch could prove crucial
Pitarch’s potential availability is particularly significant given Mourinho’s threadbare midfield options for the Inter game.
Real Madrid will be without Eduardo Camavinga, Arda Guler and Bernardo Silva, all of whom are suspended, leaving the Portuguese short in the middle of the park.
With Tchouameni also only just returning from a groin issue, the young Spaniard could offer valuable depth in an area where Mourinho has few alternatives.
For Endrick, meanwhile, the game represents a chance to make his competitive debut under Mourinho and begin clawing back ground on Carlos Espi in the race for a bench role in attack.
While Mourinho will not want to rush any of his returning players, having Pitarch and Endrick back in the fold offers him some much-needed flexibility as Real Madrid look to make a statement in Europe.
