Jude Bellingham backed to emulate Cristiano Ronaldo in embracing ‘prestige’ of Real Madrid as former president discusses Borussia Dortmund transfer

• Blancos looking to land midfielder
• England star currently in Germany
• Set to follow in illustrious footsteps

WHAT HAPPENED? The England international midfielder is reportedly closing in on a summer transfer to Santiago Bernabeu, with the Blancos fending off rival interest from Premier League heavyweights in order to secure the 19-year-old’s signature. Bellingham has been tipped to tread such a path for some time, with his talent deserving of the grandest of stages, and Calderon expects the youngster to revel in an opportunity to follow in some illustrious footsteps.

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WHAT THEY SAID: Former Madrid president Calderon has told Sky Sports of Bellingham potentially heading to the Spanish capital: “Everybody who comes here knows what it means to be a Real Madrid player. I always say that those players like Cristiano, [Luka] Modric, Vinicius – all of them give a lot to us, but Real Madrid gives much more to them. I experienced that with Cristiano when I signed him, I told him how important it would be for him to be here. He realised that, because you can get personal goals, collective goals, your prestige goes up very much. Everyone is thinking that a player coming to Real Madrid has got to the top and the prestige of the club is amazing. Being linked to this club is always something important. Bellingham has a great opportunity to come here.”

THE BIGGER PICTURE: Liverpool, Manchester United, Chelsea and Manchester City have all been linked with Bellingham at various stages in recent times, with his star having been on the rise since breaking into Birmingham’s first team at just 16 years of age.

IN THREE PHOTOS:

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Getty Images

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WHAT NEXT? Real Madrid are said to have moved to the front of a transfer queue heading towards the summer, with the Liga giants ready to spend big on another midfield option that can slot in alongside the likes of Aurelien Tchouameni and Eduardo Camavinga for many years to come.