The Borussia Dortmund squad are reportedly happy that Jude Bellingham joined Real Madrid this summer after growing tired of his behaviour during his time at the German club.
Bellingham called time on his three-year stay at Dortmund in June when he moved to Madrid for £113m, making him the most expensive British player in history.
The 20-year-old became a fans’ favourite in Germany, but his team-mates did not feel the same way and are glad to see the back of him, according to Bild.
One of their main issues with Bellingham is they felt he craved being the centre of attention.
Members of the squad believe that in the 2021-22 season, Bellingham started to feel he was being overshadowed by Erling Haaland, and he responded by waiting behind after games to applaud the fans on his own rather than with the rest of his team-mates.
Despite being one of the youngest players in the team, Bellingham quickly became a senior figure in the dressing room, and was handed the captain’s armband on multiple occasions last season.
However, his fellow players felt he showed very little leadership and was always moody, which created a bad environment within the squad.
His treatment of team-mates has also been called into question, with some players not taking too kindly to the way Bellingham spoke to them at times.
Bild’s report refers to one specific occasion when the England international insulted Nico Schulz when Dortmund were knocked out of the Europa League by Rangers during the 2021-22 season.
According to lip readers, Bellingham reacted to a sloppy pass by yelling at Schulz: ‘You can’t play a f***ing pass, you’re f***ing s**t! Every damn time!’
It is alleged that this was not a one-off incident, and Bellingham continued to insult his team-mates last season as well.
After leaving Dortmund, Bellingham has made an instant impact at Madrid, scoring a delightful chip in pre-season against Manchester United, and then netting once more on his LaLiga debut in a 2-0 win over Athletic Bilbao on Sunday.
But Dortmund’s players do not believe they will miss him, and are happy with his replacement – former United midfielder Marcel Sabitzer.
The Austrian star has made a positive first impression, bringing a new spirit to the dressing room since his arrival.
Meanwhile, Emre Can has become a popular member of the squad, and Sebastien Haller is now on the team council for English-speaking players, as they taken on more senior roles following Bellingham’s departure.
