Real Madrid will not include on-loan star in deal to sign Jude Bellingham: Reports
Transfer expert Fabrizio Romano has dismissed reports that Real Madrid are ready to include Brahim Diaz in a deal to sign Jude Bellingham. He has added that the clubs are in talks over the fee and are yet to agree terms.
Reports earlier this week suggested that Real Madrid were looking to throw Diaz in a player-plus-cash bid to sign Bellingham to lower the fee. They have been working on the deal for months and are trying hard to convince Dortmund to budge from the €150 million price tag.
Diaz has been in decent form for AC Milan and will be returning after his two-season loan. The Spaniard has scored six goals and has provided four assists in 42 appearances for Milan this season. Los Blancos are not interested in keeping the Spaniard and are set to offload him.
Borussia Dortmund's sporting director Sebastian Kehl spoke to the media earlier this month and rebuffed reports that they were close to agreeing a deal with Los Blancos. He told ESPN:
"Jude Bellingham feels very, very comfortable at BVB. There are no new talks, or inquiries for him. He still has two years left on his contract and is a very important part of this team. That's why I naturally want him to stay at BVB for even longer."
"We have not set a deadline for him. There were times when I thought that he would leave. Later, I had the feeling that he would definitely stay. The race for him will certainly resume at the end of the season."
Liverpool are out of the race after they found the €150 million too high. Manchester City remain interested, while Manchester United and Chelsea are also keeping tabs on the English midfielder.
Jude Bellingham told to join Real Madrid by Arsenal legend
Sol Campbell was at an event in Turkey earlier this year and he was asked which club Jude Bellingham should pick. The Arsenal legend urged the Englishman to join Real Madrid and said (via Daily Mail):
"Real Madrid is obviously one of the great historical teams and the way he playing, if he goes in the same direction, he would be perfect for Real Madrid because he is very young."
Campbell further said:
"He's way ahead in a lot of things, he just needs the right club and the right manager to guide him in the right direction, that's all, and the right environment, because sometimes you can go to the wrong environment and so you waste your talent for a few years. If he goes to Madrid, he will improve the team, but also the club can keep him in the future."
Bellingham is yet to decide on his future, but reports suggest that he will be moving to Real Madrid.