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Liverpool have reportedly fallen behind Real Madrid in the race to land Jude Bellingham at the end of the season after an in-person meeting was held between the player and the Spanish giants. The Reds are said to be long-term admirers of Bellingham and have been tipped to firm up their interest in his signature in the summer, with Jurgen Klopp eager to add a new first-choice midfielder to his ranks before next season gets underway.
Real Madrid have also been credited with a keen interest in signing Bellingham and have been widely put forward as the early favourites to get a deal done over the last few months. It seems as though Los Blancos have already taken it upon themselves to gain the upper hand over Liverpool, with AS reporting that club officials recently met Bellingham in Germany to hold in-person discussions over a potential transfer.
It is said that the meeting was held with the aim of clearing up any doubts that Bellingham might have about moving to Real Madrid, as well as explaining the specific details about the club and what a transfer would mean for the 19-year-old midfielder. He is still believed to be mulling over the best course of action to take in the summer, though, which suggests that all hope is not yet lost for Liverpool in spite of recent developments.
The strong business relationship between Real Madrid and Borussia Dortmund could stand the defending European champions in good stead to land Bellingham when the bidding opens later this year, although German media have reportedly claimed that Liverpool remain fully determined to rival their Spanish counterparts for the playmaker’s signature over the coming months.
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Bellingham, meanwhile, is said to be open to the idea of playing for Real Madrid and will ultimately have the final say in deciding where his future lies. His current contract is set to run until the summer of 2025 as things stand, with no release clause having been inserted into his deal with Dortmund which means that he will be under no pressure to leave the Westfalenstadion unless he chooses to move onto pastures new at the end of the season.
It remains to be seen where Bellingham will eventually end up, with the likes of Manchester City and Manchester United also said to be keeping a close eye on the situation in advance of the upcoming summer window. Peter Schmeichel recently insisted that Bellingham’s age-defying ability and sky-high potential would make him the best possible signing for the Red Devils, with Erik ten Hag reportedly on the lookout for a new midfielder as he draws up his plan of attack for when the transfer market re-opens.
“He would be perfect for us but we’re not attractive enough [right now] because we’re not in that position,” Schmeichel told Goal. “But you can imagine a situation where Liverpool aren’t in the Champions League and Manchester United are, then all of a sudden we might be more attractive.
“And of course with the situation of Man City as well, we might be that club, so it’s very important for us now to keep on track steadily. Of course, we want to do well in Europe because we want to show the footballing world that Manchester United, we’re on our way back.”
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