In what could be one of the biggest transfer deals of the summer, Borussia Dortmund‘s Jude Bellingham is edging closer to a move to Real Madrid, with the Bundesliga side taking a firm stance in negotiations by setting a minimum base fee of $128 million for the talented English midfielder, reported by goal.com.

According to Kicker, Dortmund's sporting director, Sebastian Kehl, is acting as a tough negotiator and is determined to secure the best deal for the club. Real Madrid is currently leading the race to sign Bellingham and has reportedly agreed on personal terms with the player. However, finalizing the base fee and additional add-ons is yet to be completed.

Kehl has emphasized Dortmund's reputation as a difficult negotiator, drawing upon past transfers such as Ousmane Dembele's move to Barcelona and Jadon Sancho's transfer to Manchester United. The German club is determined to ensure they receive a fair value for their prized asset.

Although a final agreement has not been reached, it is widely anticipated that both clubs will eventually come to terms, allowing the deal to go through. Reports suggest that Bellingham has even begun searching for a house in Madrid, indicating his readiness to make the move.

Meanwhile, Dortmund has already earmarked a significant portion of the potential Bellingham transfer fee for reinvestment in new players. One player of interest is Ajax's Edson Alvarez. The German side is actively exploring options to strengthen their squad and aims to spend around two-thirds of the Bellingham funds on acquiring new talent.

Despite a grueling season that saw Dortmund narrowly miss out on the Bundesliga title, Bellingham is expected to recover from a knee injury and be fit for pre-season training with Real Madrid in July, provided the two clubs reach an agreement on the transfer fee.

As negotiations continue, all eyes will be on Borussia Dortmund and Real Madrid to see if they can finalize a deal that could shape the future of Jude Bellingham and further bolster Real Madrid's midfield.