Real Madrid News
Defender reveals how Liverpool tried to convince Bellingham to join before Real Madrid move
Leicester City defender Conor Coady shared an interesting story about how former Liverpool captain Jordan Henderson and current defender Trent Alexander-Arnold tried their hardest to convince Jude Bellingham to join Liverpool.
They used a clever approach, often sitting on either side of him during meals. While chatting about the great things Jurgen Klopp and Liverpool had to offer, they hoped to sway his decision.
“I think Trent and Henderson tried [to convince] Jude Bellingham. At the World Cup, 100%,” Coady told BBC Sport.
“To be fair, of course, you would. They’d sit on either side of him during mealtime, talking about how good Klopp and Liverpool were,” he added.
Despite their best efforts, however, Bellingham chose a different path. Last summer, he signed with Real Madrid for an initial fee of €103 million. This amount could rise by 30% to around €133.9 million due to additional performance-based clauses.
In his first season with Real Madrid, Bellingham showcased his incredible talent, scoring 23 goals and providing 13 assists.
How did Madrid beat Liverpool?
The journey to sign Bellingham was not straightforward for Real Madrid. They faced strong competition from Premier League giants like Liverpool and Manchester City.
In fact, at one point, Real Madrid had reasons to feel doubtful about their chances. This is because Borussia Dortmund had set a hefty price tag of €150 million, which seemed beyond what Madrid was willing to pay.
Although the relationship between the two clubs was excellent on both personal and professional levels, Real Madrid’s president, Florentino Perez, thought the cost was too high.
Despite these financial concerns, Real Madrid did not give up. They remained in the race, even though some within the club were not very hopeful. Behind the scenes, chief scout Juni Calafat played a crucial role.
Calafat, along with his team, kept working discreetly to keep Real Madrid in the running for Bellingham. They made several trips to Dortmund and London, meeting with Bellingham’s representatives to discuss the potential transfer.
Their perseverance paid off. Despite the high asking price and the stiff competition, Real Madrid managed to secure Bellingham’s signature and upon joining, he quickly proved to be a valuable asset, becoming a standout player and a key contributor to the team’s success.
Real Madrid youngster Endrick continues to attract interest from several clubs ahead of another potential loan move in the upcoming January transfer window.
The latest side considering a move for the Brazilian forward is Aston Villa.
Indeed, according to reports relayed by Bernabeu Digital, the Premier League club are interested in signing the Real Madrid striker on loan in January.
No minutes for Endrick
Endrick has had very limited opportunities under Jose Mourinho this season. Across Real Madrid’s nine matches in La Liga and the UEFA Champions League, the Brazilian has played just four minutes, coming on in the 86th minute against Elche.
Such limited playing time has left the young forward struggling to gain the minutes and experience needed to develop his talent at Real Madrid.
As such, another loan move, like last January when he left for Olympique Lyon, could offer him a chance to play more regularly and continue his progression.
Aston Villa, managed by Unai Emery, have now emerged as an interested party to acquire the Brazilian international’s services on loan for the second half of the season.
AC Milan also interested in Endrick
Howver, Aston Villa are not the only club monitoring Endrick’s situation. AC Milan have also renewed their interest in the Brazilian forward.
The Rossoneri already held an interest in the 20-year-old forward during the summer transfer window and are knocking on the doors once again now.
In fact, some reports in Italy even go on to suggest that the youngster is ready to pounce on the opportunity to sign for the Serie A giants.
For now, however, there have been no concrete developments or formal approaches from any interested club.
Real Madrid are understood to be open to allowing Endrick to leave on loan, but they are not considering a permanent sale as they still have a lot of faith in the promising attacker whom they signed from Palmeiras.
With Aston Villa and AC Milan both interested, the coming months could prove important in determining where the young Brazilian will continue his development.
