Jude Bellingham has a chance to be the first ever €100m+ bargain, but will he grow to regret his transfer to Real Madrid?
GOAL's Mark Doyle will be grading the major transfers from across the world this summer.
For some football fans, the off-season is the most exciting time of the year since it only means one thing: it's time for transfers! The greatest names will be associated with the biggest clubs in the coming weeks and months, with speculation ramping up.
We all know that some transfers work out well for all parties involved, but there are plenty of cases where at least one of the clubs, or even the player, is left wondering what may have happened if they had made a different option during negotiating.
GOAL is here to ensure that you know who made the best job out of every huge deal before the ink on the contracts is even dry. We'll be assessing every completed deal as it happens throughout the summer window, allowing you to keep track of the big winners - and losers - of transfer season.
Jude Bellingham (Borussia Dortmund to Real Madrid, €103 million)
In the case of Borussia Dortmund: Good, but not outstanding. Dortmund have clearly gotten their money's worth out of Bellingham, who arrived from Birmingham City three years ago for €30 million (£25 million) and has matured into the captain of a team that could have won the Bundesliga this season. Given the overwhelming interest in the teenager's services last summer, they did well to keep him this long. However, while Dortmund made a huge profit on the England international, the feeling was that the most in-demand midfielder in world football would command more than a guaranteed €103 million (£88 million/$110 million), especially considering Benfica received €120 million from Chelsea for Enzo Fernandez in January. B+ grade
Real Madrid are undoubtedly considerably better transfer market operators than Chelsea (who isn't, to be fair?). However, they have done well in negotiating a deal with Dortmund that will cost no more than €130 million (£112 million/$140 million). In the current economic situation, that appears to be a reasonable amount of business, with typical players fetching fees of €100 million. There are no guarantees in football, but Bellingham had previously shone in the Champions League before establishing himself as a future superstar with his performances at the 2022 World Cup. As a result, he has a good possibility of being a regular in Madrid's starting lineup for the next decade, alongside fellow youngster Federico Valverde, Eduardo Camavinga, and Aurelien Tchouameni. If he does, that amount will appear to be a bargain.
The ultimate step-up in class for Bellingham. Madrid, a 14-time European Cup winner, provides probably the most renowned, but also the most rigorous, stage in world football. The Bernabeu faithful have booed Cristiano Ronaldo, Sergio Ramos, and Zinedine Zidane. In Spain, Bellingham will face intense scrutiny and will be under pressure to justify his exorbitant price tag, all while contending for a starting berth in a team in transition with some high-profile colleagues, such Toni Kroos and Luka Modric. It's not simple to replace any of those two living legends - just ask Tchouameni! And it's not like Kroos has exactly greeted Bellingham with open arms... Bellingham may grow to regret his undeniable talent.
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