It was a statement that brought a smile to the face of all BVB supporters, but especially the sporting leadership of the club: “I’ll be here at Borussia Dortmund next season. I’m ready,” said Jude Bellingham before the Bundesliga final in mid-May and thus made no less than a declaration of loyalty to his BVB. However, it is becoming more and more likely that this was the last commitment for the black and yellow.
The development that the still 18-year-old has made at Borussia Dortmund in the last two years has been too steep for BVB to have any great chance of keeping his youngster in the long term.
Jude Bellingham has already matured into a real leader as a teenager, throwing in his leadership qualities in almost every game. Under head coach Marco Rose, he was the all-time favorite at BVB last season and played 44 competitive games in 2021/2022.
Coach returnee Edin Terzic is also fully relying on his midfield star, who has a long-term contract with the Black and Yellows until 2025 and has no exit clause.
During his first term in office, Terzic had already spoken in the highest terms about Bellingham, who has long been a senior international and has already played 15 games for the English team: “He’s not only doing extremely well on the pitch, but also off the pitch “, Terzic said at the time about the youngster, who is simply “always there when he is needed”.
He is currently recovering from the exhausting season after the Nations League appearances in Ibiza, and is staying there with some BVB teammates such as goalkeeper Gregor Kobel or newcomer Karim Adeyemi. At the beginning of July he will return to Borussia team training.
That makes Bellingham so valuable for BVB
The work attitude of the midfielder, who switched to Westphalia for 25 million euros in the summer of 2020, makes him so immensely important for his colors at just under 19 years old.
Bellingham accepts every challenge at Borussia Dortmund and faces every task with maximum conviction. Starting out as a six, the right-footed player in BVB clothing has played in almost every midfield position – and justified his stakes almost every time.
Defensively, he impressed in the last Bundesliga season with 34 ball wins and 40 ball interceptions. Over time, Bellingham became more and more involved offensively, getting more and more freedom in interaction with Mo Dahoud or Axel Witsel. Offensively, he came up with 34 direct shots on target, eight of which led to Dortmund goals. With 335.7 kilometers covered, Bellingham was also the strongest player in the Borussia squad.
Bellingham knows about his role at BVB
This variability and reliability despite his less than 19 years makes the Briton so valuable for his colors. Irrespective of the tactical direction in which Edin Terzic will set up BVB in the future: Jude Bellingham should have his place in central midfield as the driving force behind the runners-up in every formation.
The player himself knows about his role in Dortmund: “It means a hell of a lot to me to take on the role and the responsibility that I have in this team and in this club. I said from the day I arrived here, how big the club is and what a joy it is for me to play at this club and take on this responsibility.”
Once again music to the ears of the bosses around managing director Hans-Joachim Watzke and sports director Michael Zorc.
BVB star Bellingham has long been on the radar of Europe’s top clubs
The fact that Bellingham has matured so much and is such a strong leader on the pitch in his first professional years is a rare quality and a blessing for Borussia Dortmund. The absolute top clubs from Europe have been looking very closely for a long time.
Champions League winners Real Madrid have targeted him as a possible successor to one of the midfield leaders around Luka Modric, Toni Kroos and Casemiro. Rumors keep circulating from his native England. The assembled Premier League elite around Liverpool FC, Manchester United and Chelsea FC have already been associated with Bellingham.
It is clear that the Dortmund club’s treasury will really ring a bell if the midfield strategist is resold next year or the year after. After the departure of Erling Haaland, Bellingham is by far the most valuable player in Borussia’s squad and will increase his market value even more when he takes part in the World Cup for the first time next winter.
The next medium-term career step to an even bigger club than BVB seems to be inevitable, similar to Haaland, who was not coincidentally one of the 18-year-old’s best buddies among the BVB stars.
The club will only be able to gather arguments for Bellingham’s long-term whereabouts by winning titles. Otherwise, the knocking of the European elite should soon be unmistakable.
Until then, Bellingham wants to continue to work on his standing on and off the field and is working on an upcoming world career.
Mats Yannick Roth