Real Madrid’s latest Galactico signing was presented to the media this afternoon in Madrid. Jude Bellingham acknowledged that he had other offers, but explained that his choice was not the most lucrative of the lot.
He started off his press conference by greeting the press in a polite and considered fashion that characterised his manner.
“A pleasure to meet you, Madrid is the best club in history. I feel very grateful to the people who have brought me here”
Asked why he joined Real Madrid, Bellingham explained that for him it wasn’t about money – earlier during his presentation President Florentino Perez had told the press that Bellingham could have joined any club.
“Money is not a thing for me, I don’t think about money when I make these kinds of decisions. Never have, never will. I play the game that I love. I spoke with Juni [Calafat, head scout], I spoke Jose Angel [Sanchez, General Director], I told them more or less straight away what I felt for the club, I loved the feeling that I got from the club, and once I had made my decision, I wanted everything to go quickly.”
🗣 "For me it doesn't matter how much I've come here for. The objective is the same."
Jude Bellingham is not concerned with the price tag attached to him 💰 pic.twitter.com/zucEn97b0L
— Football Daily (@footballdaily) June 15, 2023
“It’s not a case of other teams were bad or anything else, it’s just that, for me, Real Madrid are the greatest.”
Bellingham also admitted that he was sat in a VIP box at the Stade de France in 2022 to watch Real Madrid beat Liverpool in the Champions League. Next to him was Zinedine Zidane, his idol. Admitting that it had had an influence, he will wear Zidane’s old number.
This strategy of competing with other sides is becoming increasingly common for both Real Madrid and Barcelona. Last summer Raphinha turned down Chelsea to move to Barcelona, as did Jules Kounde. A decade ago, the Clasico duo would offer more money than anyone else, but now they rely on their prestige to persuade players.
