It was one of the worst kept secrets in football and on Wednesday Real Madrid finally announced that they had signed 19-year-old England international, Jude Bellingham, from Borussia Dortmund.
Though there was initially no word on the official Real Madrid website as to length of deal and transfer fee once the announcement was made, many media outlets, including The Guardian (subscription required) noted that it was a six-year deal for the player which would take him up to 2029
It’s an incredible show of faith from possibly the biggest club in the world though despite still being a teenager, Bellingham’s rise has been nothing short of extraordinary.
He moved from childhood club, Birmingham City, to Dortmund and quickly established himself as one of their most important players.
Indeed, a reported transfer fee to Los Blancos in excess of £100m suggests the high regard in which the Bundesliga giants held him in.
Sky Sports News put the fee at £115m which would make him the most expensive British signing of all time.
The pressure on his shoulders will be immense, but such is his strength of character that he will arguably pass any test with flying colours.
Liverpool and Jurgen Klopp may be disappointed not to have been able to sign the midfielder, but at that price, only the biggest teams in the world could have done such a deal.
