Liverpool and Chelsea Circle Bellingham as Real Madrid Star Loses Golden Boy Status

The shine has well and truly come off Jude Bellingham's Madrid adventure, with fresh reports suggesting both Liverpool and Chelsea are circling the England international as his position at Real Madrid becomes increasingly precarious.

It wasn't supposed to pan out like this. When Real Madrid splashed out roughly £115m to prise Bellingham away from Borussia Dortmund in 2023, they had landed one of Europe's brightest prospects. His first season proved why, delivering 23 goals across 42 appearances as he helped the club to Champions League and La Liga glory—the stuff of boyhood dreams.

Yet the intervening 18 months have made for grim reading. Real Madrid's descent into dysfunction under Carlo Ancelotti and Xabi Alonso has been as much about Bellingham's struggles as anyone else's. The arrival of Kylian Mbappe was meant to elevate them further; instead, the squad has lurched from one crisis to the next, lacking the balance and cohesion that once made them formidable.

This season alone has been stop-start for Bellingham, with injuries taking their toll. Rumblings have also surfaced regarding his professionalism, with whispers suggesting he and fellow big names agitated behind the scenes before Alonso's departure—claims the midfielder has firmly rejected. Nevertheless, the narrative has shifted dramatically.

That shift has now caught the attention of the Premier League's heavyweight hitters. Reports claim that offers have duly arrived from both Liverpool and Chelsea, with the midfielder apparently no longer sacrosanct in the eyes of Madrid's hierarchy. His attitude concerns, it seems, have loosened the club's grip considerably.

The timing is intriguing given Jurgen Klopp's mooted involvement with Real Madrid. The Liverpool legend is being lined up as a candidate to succeed Alvaro Arbeloa in the dugout, and sources suggest he would be perfectly content with Bellingham making an exit. Klopp is reportedly the frontrunner for the post ahead of next season.

Should such a move materialise, Liverpool would reportedly be willing to part with more than €90m to make it happen, with the Reds described as genuine admirers. Chelsea, meanwhile, would equally relish the prospect of acquiring a player who, just a couple of years back, was rubbing shoulders with Ballon d'Or finalists.

That said, English sides may be better served investing their ammunition elsewhere. Both Liverpool and Chelsea are keeping tabs on RB Leipzig winger Yan Diomande, a player who looks destined to command serious money when the summer window opens. Leipzig are holding firm at €100m minimum, unbothered by the market's attempts to negotiate them down to €60-70m. The German club expects Diomande to become their record sale, eclipsing Josko Gvardiol's €90m exit.

Scout reports suggest the winger is very much on Liverpool's radar, alongside Arsenal, Manchester United, Manchester City, and Aston Villa. Whether any of those clubs will meet Leipzig's valuation remains to be seen—but at least there's a clearer picture of what's needed. With Bellingham, it's rather more clouded.