Real Madrid News
Real Madrid view Manchester City as primary competition for €150m midfielder
The race for the signing of Jude Bellingham is heating up already even though the summer transfer window is far away.
Real Madrid are firmly in the picture for the signing of the 19-year-old midfielder but face competition from Premier League giants like Liverpool, Manchester City and even Manchester United are believed to be interested in the England international.
According to Sky Sports, Real Madrid have already begun working on the possibility of signing Bellingham next summer. But they see Pep Guardiola’s Manchester City as their primary rivals in the race for the teenager’s signing.
Los Blancos are trying to sell the idea of Bellingham having a chance of winning the Ballon d’Or in the future if he joins the club.
They want him to form the core of the ‘next all-star midfield unit’ alongside Aurelien Tchouameni, Federico Valverde and Eduardo Camavinga as they prepare to move on from veterans Luka Modric and Toni Kroos.
However, the reigning champions of Europe see Manchester City as a major threat to their chances of signing Bellingham. The Premier League champions are an incredibly stable club and have one of the best tactical minds in charge of the team in Guardiola.
Furthermore, with Ilkay Gundogan in the final year of his contract and Kevin De Bruyne in his thirties, the Citizens see Bellingham as someone who can refresh their midfield options.
Guardiola has been an admirer of the Englishman for a long time now, while the presence of Erling Haaland in the City ranks could also work in their favour due to the equation that the striker shares with Bellingham.
Liverpool are in need of major surgery to their midfield unit but their poor start to the season could hamper their chances, especially if they fail to secure a top-four finish in the Premier League.
As for Manchester United, even though they are long-term admirers of Bellingham, their priority is to sign an elite striker at this point.
All these factors have led to Real Madrid perceiving Manchester City as their biggest threat in the race to sign the 19-year-old sensation.
With his contract at Borussia Dortmund running until the summer of 2025, the Bundesliga outfit will likely demand a massive sum of around €150 million according to reports. Only time will tell as to who comes out on top in the race for Europe’s most coveted young midfielder.
According to MARCA, Eder Militao is seen as the undisputed leader of the Real Madrid defence, thanks to his ‘impeccable’ level of performances. The 25-year-old’s standing in the team has forced a duel between David Alaba and Antonio Rudiger for the second centre-back slot.
Militao arrived at Real Madrid in the summer of 2019, joining from FC Porto in a deal worth €50 million. While he made a slow start to life in Spain, the Brazilian slowly grew in stature from his second season at the Santiago Bernabeu.
Following the exits of Sergio Ramos and Raphael Varane, Militao established himself as a permanent fixture in the backline for the Merengues and was a standout performer last season as they won the La Liga title and the UEFA Champions League trophy.
The 25-year-old has carried on in the same vein of form this season as well, featuring in 35 matches across all competitions for Real Madrid, even chipping in with six goals.
The Brazilian international is seen as one of the best centre-backs in the world currently, with Real Madrid manager Carlo Ancelotti sharing that opinion.
“I may lose credibility if I say Vinicius and Militão are the best striker and defender in the world respectively but it’s the truth. I am honest. Militão lacks nothing,” he had said last month.
Militao is not only viewed as the leader of the Real Madrid defence, but has also grown into a leader within the locker room as well, with the player being loved and fully supported by his teammates.
Militao’s presence has meant that Alaba and Rudiger have had to battle it out for the lone centre-back slot. The former had enjoyed a stunning season last time out after joining from Bayern Munich in 2021, but has struggled with injuries and fitness problems this term.
As for Rudiger, the German arrived last summer from Chelsea and started out slow, but has grown in confidence and stature, especially in recent months. So much so that, his signing is already being regarded as a success within the club.
In Militao, Real Madrid undoubtedly have a long-term fixture at the heart of the defence. But with Rudiger and Alaba in their thirties, the Merengues must look to bring in one more player who can take over from them in the near future and can form a partnership with Militao.
