Jude Bellingham finalised his transfer to Real Madrid on Thursday after completing a six-year contract with Europe’s most successful team, while holding up the same No. 5 shirt once donned by Zinedine Zidane.
Bellingham signed the deal with club president Florentino Pérez after passing his medical exam and posing with his new jersey in front of Madrid’s packed trophy case.
“I have said in many interviews how much I admire Zinedine Zidane,” Bellingham stated about his new No. 5 after having worn 22 with his former clubs. “I am not trying to be the same as him, I am just trying to be Jude, but it is definitely a bit of a homage to how great he was.”
In spite of being a transfer target for many popular European teams, including Manchester City and Manchester United, Bellingham chose to join the Spanish club that has won the European Cup 14 times.
Pérez referred to Bellingham as one of the “best players in the world,” adding that while other teams were interested in him, “he is here because this is where he wanted to be.”
Real is yet to affirm the transfer fee, but Dortmund stated in a statement to the stock exchange last week that it may reach more than 130 million euros ($139 million).