The six people who will decide Jude Bellingham’s future

It looks as if Jude Bellingham’s future will be decided in the summer, with the Borussia Dortmund star expected to become the Bundesliga’s biggest ever export. Among the many clubs interested in the Englishman, whose contract at Signal Iduna Park expires in 2025, is Real Madrid. In Germany, the feeling is that it will take at least €150 million for any club to prise Bellingham away from Dortmund, a figure which isn’t expected to deter suitors - Premier League club Liverpool are another - from signing one of the most sought-after players in world soccer.

Meet Real Madrid target Jude Bellingham’s entourage

Wherever Bellingham ends up, the buying club will have to meet the criteria established by six key members of the 19-year-old’s entourage, who have advised him whenever he has had a big decision to make in his short career. According to Germany newspaper Bild, these are the people Real Madrid, or anyone else, need to convince:

Mark Bellingham: Jude Bellingham’s father used to work as a policeman, but resigned from the force so he could fully focus on the careers of his sons Jude and Jobe (17 years old and on the books at Birmingham City). In 2019, he created the BelloBall agency, which he runs, and as a result rejected approaches from other agencies that wanted to representent his son. He is the first point of contact for any club that is interested in signing the midfielder and the person in charge of carrying out the negotiations. A focused and determined individual who stays out of the media spotlight.

Denise Bellingham: The player’s mother and a partner in the agency. She has been living with her son in Dortmund since he signed for the German club in 2020 and often watches games from the stands. She will do her utmost to ensure that Jude - and Jobe - ends up in the right club environment which will allow him to prosper.

Mike Dodds: Currently a first-team coach at Sunderland. Dodds played a key role in Jude’s development during his time in Birmingham’s youth ranks and has close ties with the family as a consequence. His opinion is highly valued when it comes to all different kinds of decisions regarding the player’s future and he also usually participates in negotiations.

Jobe Bellingham: Jude’s brother and an England U18 international. Whenever he can, he attends his older brother’s games and is involved in every step he takes.

Daniel Dodds: Mike Dodds’ brother, who has been working as a scout for Dortmund since 2019, focusing on the British market. He had a big hand in helping the German club sign both Bellingham and Jamie Bynoe-Gittens (18), another potential English star that the club recruited from the Manchester City youth academy. His opinion also carries a lot of weight in the family.

Jude Bellingham: It seems obvious to say it, but the player himself ultimately bears the greatest responsibility for where he may or may not go. Despite feeling at home in Dortmund, staying in Germany beyond the summer is no longer an option. The time has come for Bellingham to make a decision.