Reports claiming that Real Madrid had taken the lead in the race for Jude Bellingham’s signature are understood to be pure speculation.
Jacque Talbot shared the update on Twitter following conversations with Germany-based sources after the 19-year-old’s impressive performances at the World Cup with England.
Exc: Sources in Germany tell me reports on Jude Bellingham choosing Real are just speculating at this moment. He hasn't told anyone in Dortmund yet about his future. No one thinks that he will stay – but people at the club believe he hasn't yet made the final decision. #LFC #MCFC
— Jacque Talbot (@jac_talbot) December 22, 2022
Prior updates on the matter had put the Reds at the top of the pile, with Christian Falk claiming that the midfielder’s family had expressed a preference for the Merseysiders over the likes of Los Blancos and Manchester City.
With the kind of money behind the two aforementioned outfits – not to forget either English top-flight rivals Chelsea – we shouldn’t be quick to discount such threats ahead of the summer transfer window.
For Bellingham, it will come down to a number of factors (in a similar manner to how Erling Haaland is understood to have decided on his destination after exiting Borussia Dortmund) and we’ve already laid down some groundwork with discussions behind the scenes, plus the efforts of Jordan Henderson and Trent Alexander-Arnold building bonds on international duty.
The Englishman shouldn’t be considered a done deal but given the understanding that money won’t play a particularly big role in this transfer (assuming Liverpool can first cover the asking price), it bodes well for a club that boasts a particularly healthy structure on and off the pitch.