Real Madrid News
Borussia Dortmund set €150 million asking price for Jude Bellingham – German sources
According to Sky Sport Germany journalist Florian Plettenberg, Bundesliga side Borussia Dortmund are demanding €150 million for their star midfielder Jude Bellingham.
Bellingham, arguably one of the hottest prospects in the transfer market, has made it to the list of almost every top club across the continent. This includes Real Madrid, Paris Saint-Germain, Liverpool, Manchester United, and Manchester City.
At this moment, however, there is no clarity from the player’s end. Given the interest he has generated, it is all but certain that the 2022/23 season is going to be his final campaign in Dortmund’s iconic yellow and black colours.
So in all fairness, the fight will come down to an exciting bidding war, meaning that whoever matches Dortmund’s aforementioned valuation of €150 million will win the race.
As far as Real Madrid are concerned, it is an unspoken truth that the team are desperate to find capable replacements for both Luka Modric and Toni Kroos.
The Croatian, who reportedly wants to play another season with Real Madrid, is already in his twilight years, while the World Cup-winning German is most likely to retire either this summer or the next.
Despite the tough situation at hand, Real Madrid manager Carlo Ancelotti recently decided to stick with his own roster, saying that the players he has at the moment are more than enough. When asked about the possibility of signing Bellingham, the manager said,
“Bellingham has shown in the World Cup that he is a great midfielder, but there are many youngsters who are performing well: Enzo Fernandez, Pedri and Gavi. I’ll stick with my midfielders, Tchouameni, Camavinga, and Valverde,” said the manager.
As for Dortmund, they seem to have accepted the fact that Bellingham’s departure is imminent and to tackle the upcoming hustle, the team want the player to make an early decision so that they can plan accordingly. This means that the next few weeks will be crucial.
Real Madrid opted to renew Antonio Rudiger’s contract this past summer to keep him at the club for one more season.
The 33-year-old veteran defender, though, has not been performing at his best, with physical problems taking their toll and age starting to catch up with him.
As such, the expectation is that Los Blancos will not extend his contract again when his current one expires on 30 June 2027.
Tottenham eye Antonio Rudiger
And, according to reports relayed by AS, Premier League giants Tottenham Hotspur are plotting a free-transfer swoop to sign Rudiger in the summer of next year.
The north London club are understood to be keen on reinforcing their backline next year and see the German defender as an option, given his experience in the Premier League and the fact that he would be available for free in the summer.
So far this season, Rudiger has played only five games for Real Madrid, amounting to a total of 396 minutes.
The 33-year-old has even chipped in with two goals, including the all-important winner in the 4-3 comeback victory over AS Roma on Wednesday night.
Time to move on?
Despite Rudiger being a hugely respected figure in the Real Madrid locker room, he is currently the third-choice centre-back for Jose Mourinho.
After all, summer signing Ibrahima Konate and Dean Huijsen have been preferred by the manager so far in the new season.
Moreover, with Eder Militao set to return imminently after a lengthy injury layoff, Rudiger’s game-time could be impacted further.
Given the situation and factoring in Real Madrid’s plans to sign another centre-back next summer, it is pretty much evident that Rudiger does not feature in the club’s plans for beyond this season.
As such, a separation of ways seems pretty likely when his contract expires, and Tottenham are now positioning themselves as early suitors to sign Rudiger as a free agent in 2027.
