Liverpool had to draw a line in their pursuit of Jude Bellingham due to the fees involved, and now the midfielder has explained the reasons for his Real Madrid move.
The Reds had seemingly been building up to sign Bellingham, forgoing last summer’s transfer window to make a statement this time around.
That was quickly ruled out, though, as Liverpool came to terms with the money needed to get a deal over the line – which Madrid did for an initial £88 million plus up to £27 million in add-ons.
That figure is inflated for agent fees and wages, among others, and Liverpool thought it best to spread that cost among a number of players rather than one generational talent.
It remains a bitter pill to swallow for some, but we can all draw a line under the saga after Bellingham explained his decision to join Real Madrid.
“I was at the final when they beat Liverpool, that was another huge factor,” the English midfielder said during a press conference in front of the Spanish press on Thursday.
“The exact moment [I decided to join] is hard to say. I had the meeting when they came to my house and I was sold, to be honest. I can’t remember when that was, but that was the moment when it was definite.
“I don’t think about money at all when I make these kind of decision, I never have and I never will,” he said earlier in the press conference. “I play the game purely out of love.
“I loved the feeling I got from the club, I told them more or less straight away what I felt. After I made my decision I wanted it all to happen quickly.
“It wasn’t a case of the other teams were bad or they weren’t good, it is just for me, Real Madrid is the greatest.”
Think we will dispute the last point there, Jude!
It is time we all moved on, Bellingham obviously has, and with Alexis Mac Allister already added to the fold we look ahead to who will follow.
Khephren Thuram, Ryan Gravenberch, Manu Kone, Romeo Lavia and Gabri Veiga are among those strongly linked. Now it is up to Liverpool to get the right deals over the line.
Fan Comments