Florentino Perez is running Jude Bellingham’s contract renewal himself, an unusual move for a Madrid president on a deal that still has three years to run.
Real Madrid want the 23-year-old locked into a package that would lift his wages from a reported £300,000-plus a week to more than £400,000. The current deal runs until June 2029, so the club are moving early rather than under pressure.
Yahoo Sports reported that Perez is handling the process personally and considers Bellingham “an untouchable piece” of the squad. The intention is to settle terms before any Premier League club can push the number up.
The Vinicius benchmark
The renewal follows the template Madrid have just applied to Vinicius Junior. The Brazilian forward signed a new contract until 2032 on 6 August 2026, with a €1 billion release clause and a pay rise past the club’s earlier offer of €22 million a year.
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Madrid want Bellingham on a comparable tier. His salary still trails Kylian Mbappé, who is reported to earn more than £500,000 a week.
World Cup momentum
The push comes weeks after Bellingham set a new England record with seven goals at the 2026 World Cup, more than any Three Lions player at a major tournament. He also finished as the top-scoring midfielder at the competition.
That form has sharpened the transfer chatter. Sportsmole reports that several English clubs tried to sign him before his 2023 move to Madrid, without naming any as currently active. The 2029 expiry gives the Spanish side the leverage; the push is about setting the terms of the next contract, not repelling a live bid.
Fourth season under Mourinho
Bellingham joined from Borussia Dortmund in 2023 for a fee that could rise to about £113 million with bonuses. He closed the 2025/26 club campaign with eight goals and five assists in 40 appearances across all competitions.
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His fourth Madrid season begins under Jose Mourinho, who was appointed head coach in June 2026 on a three-year contract. Yahoo Sports adds that the player has settled comfortably in the Spanish capital, favouring the climate and daily rhythm after previous spells in England and Germany.
Initial conversations between the two sides have already taken place, according to TeamTalk.
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