Real Madrid has completed the signing of England midfielder Jude Bellingham from Borussia Dortmund on a six-year deal.
The Spanish giants will pay 103m euros (£88.5m) for the 19-year-old, in addition to various potential add-ons.
If those add-ons are achieved, the deal could reach 133.9m euros (£115m).
Bellingham, who started his career at Birmingham City, will be presented as a Real Madrid player at a ceremony on Thursday.
One of England’s top performers at last year’s World Cup, Bellingham was named the Bundesliga’s player of the season as Dortmund missed out on a first league title in 11 years on the final day.
The initial fee means he becomes the second-most expensive English footballer after Jack Grealish, for whom Manchester City paid Aston Villa £100m in 2021.
Bellingham is also Real Madrid’s second-most expensive signing, after Eden Hazard’s 115m euro move from Chelsea in 2019, and the third-most expensive teenager in history.
Paris St-Germain paid Monaco 180m euros for France forward Mbappe in 2018, while it cost Atletico Madrid 126m euros to sign Joao Felix from Benfica in 2019.
Bellingham excelled at Dortmund where, in October last year, he made history by becoming the club’s youngest captain aged 19.
He played 42 times for his club in 2022-23 – scoring 14 goals and registering seven assists.
Dortmund, who announced on 7 June that a fee had been agreed, tweeted following Wednesday’s confirmation: “Everyone in Dortmund wishes you the best of luck in your next adventure Jude!”
The £25m Dortmund paid Birmingham in 2020 made Bellingham the most expensive 17-year-old in the history of football.
Following that deal, the Championship side was mocked by some for retiring the teenager’s shirt number despite him only playing one full season of professional football.
In other news – Zimbabweans arrested for stealing £200,000 in the UK
In a shocking turn of events, a group of Zimbabweans found themselves in handcuffs after allegedly carrying out a daring £200,000 money heist in the United Kingdom (UK). However, their downfall can be attributed to their arrogance and a disastrous decision to boast about their criminal escapade on social media.
The Zimbabweans, reveling in their ill-gotten wealth, recorded a video in which they proudly showcased stacks of £20-pound notes. The brief yet incriminating footage captured their celebratory mood, with numerous banknotes scattered across the apartment. To make matters worse, the individuals were conversing in Ndebele, leaving no doubt about their identity. Read More
