Chief Scout Markus Pilawa reveals how Borussia Dortmund signed Jude Bellingham last summer

Borussia Dortmund chief scout Markus Pilawa sat down with SPOX to provide a more in depth look at the inner workings of the transfer for English talent Jude Bellingham. 

No matter who you ask, its safe to say that Jude Bellingham has been one of Borussia Dortmund’s most successful transfers for some time. The young English International, who only turns 18 at the end of the month, was a pivotal cog in the revival of Dortmund’s past season. In a year that looked like it would be one to forget for Die Schwarzgelben, Bellingham rose to the challenge despite being so young, showing a level of maturity in his play that went well beyond his years. His energy on the pitch is something Dortmund have missed for some time – a true box to box midfielder of top class ability willing to lay it all out on the pitch for his team.

While we already know that signing Jude Bellingham was a prolonged process for the Black and Yellows, an interview with Markus Pilawa via SPOX has shed some light on the nitty gritty details behind the move for the teenage sensation.

According to Pilawa, Bellingham was first noticed by the club at a U15 international match he played for England in 2017, which led to the scouting team tracking his progress throughout a variety of other games at international level throughout that year.

Pilawa’s first thoughts on Bellingham were focused more on the level of responsibility he took on the pitch rather than his physical attributes. The most important thing Pilawa realised was his ability to organise the midfield and play all over the pitch, wherever he was required:

"“He had a sense of how to order the game in central midfield and an incredible work rate. He wants to pick up the ball as a six, take it to the front as an eight, but also be in the penalty area at the end and finish.”"

According to Pilawa, Bellingham was convinced to join Borussia Dortmund by the simple fact that the club was missing a player of his profile, which ensured that he would get the playing time he needed to develop his game further. What also helped was the fact that the Black and Yellows had held a long-term interest in signing the midfielder.

"“We were among the first to show an interest in him and wanted to sign him when he was 16, when he was still this short, lanky player.” “We believed in him even then, not just when he was playing in the Championship. I think he was impressed that we didn’t just come in at the end, when it was obvious to everyone what a great talent he had.”“We told him, ‘You’re going to have a lot of competition in terms of the quality of players, but your advantage is that we don’t have your profile in the squad, so you’re definitely going to get playing time with us.'”"

Pilawa also spoke out on Bellingham’s first season with the Black and Yellows, stating that he was quite impressed at how well he adapted despite the circumstances of the move:

"“We were reasonably confident that he would get enough playing time in his first year. I admit, though, that we didn’t know how confidently he would handle his situation. There was Corona, the energy-sapping Championship season until the end of July and the mental strain of the relegation battle with Birmingham.” “He only had seven days off as a young lad and then arrived here without a vacation and to some extent with the pressure of the high transfer fee. So there could well have been problems, particularly at the start of the season, but he surprised us there too. We wanted to give him more breaks, but he didn’t want them.” “He’s just so clear in his head and has such a strong personality that in the end his development almost came as no surprise.”"

Overall, it’s safe to say that Borussia Dortmund made the right choice signing Bellingham when they did, and it looks like he will be a regular feature in the midfield for years to come. The coming season should be an exciting one for Bellingham and Dortmund as he continues to develop and become an integral part of the squad.