Jude Bellingham has said his farewell and handed gifts to fellow Borussia Dortmund teammates ahead of his looming departure to Real Madrid in Spain.
According to reports, Real Madrid were closing in on a massive deal for the England International after the 19-year-old midfielder was reported to have approved the circumstances of their deals.
However, the final transfer fee was yet to be finalized between the two parties.
According to reports from Spain this week, Real Madrid manager Carlo Ancelotti was told that the club was close to signing the midfielder during a recent meeting with Madrid’s President Florentino Perez and Dortmund chief executive officer Jose Angel Sanchez and an official announcement is expected this week.
It appears that Bellingham said his goodbyes to his Borussia Dortmund teammates on Sunday, 28th of May, the day after the devastating final day of the German Bundesliga season, gesturing that he is on his way to Real Madrid.
It was said that Bellingham signed shirts for 30 minutes, as well as a boot for a member of the security team.
There is an estimated total value of £108 million ($133 million) in the agreement between the two teams, with £87m ($107.4m) guaranteed and a further £21m ($26m) in performance-related add-ons.
Given the circumstances, his departure this summer may be bittersweet, but he made sure to express his gratitude to his teammates and the Dortmund staff before he left.
After a team meeting on Sunday, the 19-year-old and his mother Denise gave out several gifts as he prepares to say goodbye to Dortmund, including a pair of signed football boots that he presented to a security guard at the club.
He even took the time to sign the boots and jot down a heartfelt “Thank you!”
Before leaving the club’s training section at around 1:15 pm CEST on one of his final trips, Bellingham spent a lot of time signing autographs for supporters.
Despite the best efforts of many of his admirers, it appears too late for him to change his mind and stay with Dortmund.
Jude Bellingham’s stat this season;
Jude Bellingham scored 14 goals and assisted on seven more for Dortmund this season in all competitions.
What’s next for Jude Bellingham?
After missing the final two matchdays of the Bundesliga season with a knee injury, Bellingham is racing with the clock to recover in time for England’s European tournament qualifiers in June.
Joining the likes of Federico Valverde, Eduardo Camavinga, and Aurelien Tchouameni in Madrid’s stunning young midfield, Bellingham is now expected to sign a big contract with the club.
