Jude Bellingham emphasises that his move to Manchester City from Borussia Dortmund last summer lost its allure when Real Madrid expressed interest in signing him.
Despite having a standout first season at the Bernabéu, where he scored 20 goals and provided five assists, the 20-year-old midfielder experienced a comparatively subdued performance in last week’s Champions League quarterfinal first leg against City.
When asked in a news conference ahead of Wednesday’s second leg in Manchester, with the tie poised at 3-3, if he had considered joining City, Bellingham said: “I had good chats with clubs, including Dortmund.
“My family were great in helping me chew up that information because it’s difficult while you are still in the season to take in the information and process it and still have to play.
“I had conversations with other teams but when Madrid came in, it was a no-brainer, really because of the size of the club, the project, the plan going forward, and the chance to play with such amazing players. I just jumped at it. That’s why I made my decision.”