Real Madrid make BOLD Bellingham decision

Jude Bellingham has reportedly been handed a salary increase to ensure his Real Madrid wage is the same as summer signing Kylian Mbappe.

Bellingham, 21, joined Los Blancos from Borussia Dortmund last year and he enjoyed a fantastic debut season at the club, starring in a new role as the Spanish giants won both La Liga and the Champions League.

The England international was given an annual salary of €10 million upon his arrival at the Santiago Bernabeu in 2023 – matching the yearly wage of fellow superstar Vinicius Junior.

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However, Spanish outlet OK Diario have reported that both players have now received a salary increase in order to match Mbappe’s €15m annual wage.

While Mbappe will also receive a hefty signing-on bonus, his base salary is capped at €15m – which is reportedly the maximum Real Madrid are prepared to pay any of its players.

Florentino Perez was eager to avoid tension between Real Madrid’s superstar trio and as a result, he has opted to increase Bellingham and Vinicius’ salary by €5m to prevent any issue from arising.

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Jude Bellingham at Real Madrid

Bellingham was linked with multiple top Premier League clubs before joining Real Madrid in 2023, including Liverpool, but he decided to move to Spain rather than return to England.

During his debut campaign with Los Blancos, he scored 23 goals and provided 13 assists in all competitions and he is one of the favourites for the 2024 Ballon d’Or as a result.

This year, the arrival of Mbappe and retirement of Toni Kroos has forced Bellingham to play a slightly more reserved role alongside Aurelien Tchouameni and Federico Valverde in the middle of the park at the Santiago Bernabeu.

However, a calf injury has ensured the England international has only been able to rack up three appearances so far this season.