Surprising action

Real star makes tough demand for ex-club

Jude Bellingham (left) also went all out for his former club Dortmund in terms of the transfer fee.

(Bild: AFP/APA/OSCAR DEL POZO)

Real star Jude Bellingham is apparently no stranger to loyalty and gratitude. Before his record-breaking move to Spain, the Englishman seems to have gone all out for his old club. According to reports, Bellingham exerted pressure for the "royals" to pay a higher price for him. 

In the summer of 2023, Bellingham moved from Borussia Dortmund to Real Madrid for €103 million. As the "royals" became champions and triumphed in the Champions League, the Germans received an additional ten million euros in bonuses. A record for BVB, in which the player himself probably played a major role.

As reported by the German newspaper "Bild", Bellingham is said to have made a tough demand to Real before his transfer: If you want me, then you have to show my club respect and meet the financial demands. In the end, Madrid relented and paid the sum demanded by Dortmund to avoid scaring the Englishman away. 

Not for the first time ...
For the 21-year-old, the trust that clubs place in him is supposedly essential. And he wants to give something back to the clubs in return. Out of gratitude for the recognition he received at BVB, he has therefore helped to drive up his price. For Real, however, the sum was also worth it. 

It was also not the first time that Bellingham had resorted to this method. When Dortmund once wanted to bring the youngster from Birmingham City, the Englishman signed a new contract that ultimately brought his club a transfer fee of 30 million euros. Otherwise, only a training allowance would have been due.