Before the club World Cup, Borussia Dortmund brought the commitment of desired player Jobe Bellingham under the roof and subject after an elaborate poker. The BVB was originally a blatant outsider in advertising around the younger brother of Real Madrid’s superstar Jew.
“Before the first meeting, we heard that the chance to get Jobe was one percent. Jobe just wanted to go his own way, not only the brother of Jew,” said sports manager Lars Ricken in the “Bild” interview.
But the BVB did not threw the shotgun into the grain. “For the first time I traveled to England in March with the aim of at least doubleing the one percent mark. That was the foundation in the negotiations. After talking to him and his parents, the door opened,” said Ricken.
This was due to the fact that the 48-year-old did successful persuasion with the 19-year-old midfielder. “We feared him that in the eyes of people he cannot develop into his own player personality.”
At his ex-club AFC Sunderland, Jobe Bellingham “already showed that he leaves his very individual footprints,” said Ricken. “Jobe has played 109 games in England’s second division, even though he is so young. This is probably the hardest school that a young player can go.”
BVB: Kovac had “big influence” on Bellingham-Deal
Bellingham’s contact with coach Niko Kovac also had “big influence” on the decision for BVB, Ricken emphasized. “Niko’s values are congruent with those of Jobe: hard work, team spirit, intensity.”
Via the finish line, the Bellingham deal, which BVB, in reports, costs up to 35 million euros, brings BVB, but ultimately the outgoing club boss Hans-Joachim Watzke. “Aki knows the family extremely well. We discussed whether it makes sense that he too is flying there again. I said: Great idea!” Said Ricken.
At the beginning of June, the desired player Eintracht Frankfurt and other interested parties and BVB agreed. “The Bellingham Transfer has shown that we are not concerned with vanities or who had what influence-but that we use all of our expertise. So I imagine teamwork in the future,” said Ricken.