Borussia Dortmund are making a ‘secret strategy’ to retain Bellingham at the club, including a 150% pay boost, in order to deter interest from Real Madrid, Liverpool, and Manchester City.
England star Bellingham is likely to be one of the most sought-after players this summer after his astonishing rise to the top, with the youngster coming to the fore after a fantastic World Cup in Qatar. Borussia Dortmund is now doing all in their power to persuade him to stay.
The player and his father Mark will be brought into Sebastian Kehl’s office by Dortmund to discuss a contract that would keep him at Signal Iduna Park for at least another season.
Bellingham would get a £131 million release clause in return for accepting the German club’s £13 million per season deal, which would make him the highest-paid player in the history of the team.
That would allow Dortmund to collect a large future fee while also providing teams with an excellent opportunity to sign him.
However, that would result in a significant setback for teams like Real Madrid, Liverpool, and Manchester City as well as a lengthier wait time for their desired asset.
Bellingham’s summer exit is ‘much more likely,’ with the biggest teams in Europe poised to ‘do everything’ to urge him to leave, with Real Madrid still the favorites to woo him away.
However it goes on to say that whether the team decides to provide new contracts to Toni Kroos or Luka Modric would have a significant impact on a summer move to Madrid. At the conclusion of the current season, the contracts of both players will expire.
If both players remain at the Bernabeu, Dortmund’s chances of retaining Bellingham for another season ‘increase,’ with their’ secret strategy’ perhaps coming into play.
Borussia Dortmund to keep Jude Bellingham Amid transfer Rumors
During the international break, Bellingham, who has nine goals and five assists for Dortmund this season across all competitions, started both of England’s games. He participated in both the 86-minute victory against Ukraine on Saturday and the 85-minute victory over Italy.
The player got applause by Liverpool legend Steven Gerrard during the latter game, who claimed that the player was “far progressed” than he was at the same age.
‘For one thing, he has a better body at 19,’ Gerrard quipped as Bellingham stood next to him on the sidelines.
‘I didn’t have such power until I was 22 or 23, and he’s more physically developed. He’s more assured on the ball. I’m not just being humble. He’s farther along than I was at the same age.
‘He’s in a great position, and he has to keep playing well.’
‘The things Stevie could do, the way he could carry a team – I’ve mentioned it several times, I watch your game,’ Bellingham remarked to Gerrard as a youngster.
‘I believe I still have a lot to learn. At a 6, 8, and 10, I want to win the game on both ends. I want to take chances and try a little bit of everything.
‘You have the best opportunity with the people in the (England) changing room right now, I am like a sponge.’
Borussia Dortmund’s secret plan for the English Youngster
He was widely expected to follow in Steven Gerrard’s footsteps and sign with Liverpool this summer, but Rio Ferdinand, a commentator, claimed that Madrid’s humiliating 6-2 aggregate loss to Liverpool in the Champions League knockout round earlier this month may have persuaded him to move to the Bernabeu.
I firmly feel that if he watches that tonight, he will be sitting there thinking, “If Real Madrid are in for me and Liverpool, there is only one place I can go,” and Liverpool won’t finish as high in the Champions League as they might.
That has nothing to do with my loyalty to United or Liverpool when you are a player because you may say, “I see more trophies here [at Madrid].”