Liverpool face stiff competition for the signature of Jude Bellingham this summer
Liverpool are one of several clubs keen to sign Jude Bellingham(Image credit: Getty Images)
Liverpool have been dealt a blow in their pursuit of Jude Bellingham amid reports that the player's father held talks with Real Madrid this week.
The Reds are desperate to win the race for the signature of the in-demand Borussia Dortmund midfielder this summer.
Jurgen Klopp is keen to bolster his options in the engine room and Bellingham has emerged as Liverpool's top target.
Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp is keen to add Jude Bellingham to his squad (Image credit: Getty Images)
But Madrid may have stolen a march on the Reds, whom they will face in the second leg of their Champions League last-16 tie next week.
According to Foot Mercato, Bellingham's dad met with Juni Calafat, Madrid's director of international football, at a hotel in London ahead of Dortmund's 2-0 defeat by Chelsea in the Champions League on Tuesday night.
That suggests Madrid are in pole position to land Bellingham at the end of the season, when he is expected to bid farewell to Signal Iduna Park.
Real Madrid are among Jude Bellingham's suitors as the summer approaches (Image credit: Getty Images)
“With all respect for Jude and his performance, we are answering these kinds of questions since he arrived (in 2020),” Terzic said of Bellingham's future before the Chelsea game.
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“Before he chose to join us, he had opportunities to join the Premier League. There was loads of interest from top-flight clubs.
“But he chose to join us because he knows it can be the perfect step for him. I think we’ve proven it both ways. He’s helping us a lot. But we as a club are helping him and his career as well.
Liverpool's Mohamed Salah celebrates one of his goals in the 7-0 win over Manchester United at Anfield in March 2023. (Image credit: Getty Images)
“We are really happy that he’s part of our team, he’s one of our leaders at 19.
"He stepped into the England team as one of our players. But we know that we need a good performance from him tomorrow.
“It’ll be a topic for his future, but our future now is that we’re going to face a really tough opponent tomorrow and so we need him in a good way.”
Greg Lea is a freelance football journalist who's filled in wherever FourFourTwo needs him since 2014. He became a Crystal Palace fan after watching a 1-0 loss to Port Vale in 1998, and once got on the scoresheet in a primary school game against Wilfried Zaha's Whitehorse Manor (an own goal in an 8-0 defeat).
