REAL MADRID STAR JUDE BELLINGHAM POSTS SWEET MESSAGE FOR ASHLYN CASTRO’S SPECIAL DAY
Jude Bellingham breaks his social media silence on his private life to share a heartfelt birthday tribute to Ashlyn Castro.
Real Madrid's Jude Bellingham shared photos of his girlfriend, Ashlyn Castro, on her birthday this Wednesday. The two have been together since January and prefer to keep their relationship private, rarely posting about each other on Instagram. Still, Castro has been seen supporting Bellingham at the Santiago Bernabeu.
Bellingham Wishes Girlfriend a Happy Birthday
Since going public, the pair haven't posted much about each other on social media. But Bellingham made an exception to wish Castro a happy birthday, posting a series of pictures on his Instagram story with the caption, "Happy birthday, my love."
Breakup Rumours Ended in October
Rumours of a breakup between Bellingham and Castro surfaced, but she shot them down in October with her own birthday message, writing, "Happy birthday!" I love you so much!
She also posted: The most thoughtful, kind-hearted, hard-working, incredible human I’ve ever met. You bring so much light into this world.
Back in February, they were seen together at Madrid's game against Girona. Bellingham was suspended for that game after a red card against Osasuna.
Castro has been described as knowing how to handle the spotlight. One source said, Ashlyn understands how to keep things interesting while keeping her private life private. Whether she becomes a permanent fixture in Jude's world or fades into the background is something we have to wait and see. But for now, wherever Ashlyn goes, people pay attention.
Bellingham's 2025-26 Season So Far
Bellingham's season has been a bit spotty. He had shoulder surgery over the summer to fix a problem he'd been dealing with since 2023. He started playing regularly in October and scored three goals in three games that month, helping Los Blancos win against Juventus, Barcelona, and Valencia.
His team has struggled with consistency. There's been speculation about manager Xabi Alonso's job security after some poor performances in both La Liga and the Champions League. But the team recently recovered from losses to Celta Vigo and Manchester City with a win over Alaves. They're still four points behind Barcelona, who are at the top in Spain.
Bellingham has also had to fight for his spot in the England squad under Thomas Tuchel. The German manager didn't include him in the September matches against Andorra and Serbia. Bellingham improved, though, and was back on the roster in November. He hopes to start in the 2026 FIFA World Cup, but he's up against Morgan Rogers, Phil Foden, and Cole Palmer.
Bellingham's Winter Break in Spain
While teams in England keep playing through the holidays, Bellingham and Madrid will have some time off to rest. Following Wednesday's Copa del Rey game against CF Talavera de la Reina, Alonso's team will play Sevilla at the Bernabeu. After that, they'll have a two-week break before their next game, which will be at home against Real Betis.
Then, they'll travel to Saudi Arabia for the 2026 Supercopa de España. They'll play against Atletico Madrid in the semi-finals. The winner will face either Barcelona or Athletic Club at the King Abdullah Sports City Stadium in Jeddah for the trophy.
WHY AC MILAN ARE TURNING TO REAL MADRID’S BACKUP ANDRIY LUNIN TO REPLACE MIKE MAIGNAN
AC Milan is preparing a €15M bid for Andriy Lunin. Discover why the Real Madrid keeper is now the favourite to take over at San Siro.
AC Milan might go after Andriy Lunin from Real Madrid this summer, according to Defensa Central. Apparently, Milan is having trouble getting Mike Maignan to sign a new contract.
So, Lunin is high on their list as a possible replacement. He did sign a deal to stay with Real Madrid until 2030, but Milan is still watching him while things with Maignan are up in the air.
Reportedly, Milan gave Maignan a final offer of €7 million per season, but he's not sure about it. Because of this, the club is now scouting for other options.
If Maignan leaves, Milan's bosses plan to offer between €10 million and €15 million for Lunin. They think that's a fair price for a keeper with his experience.
Real Madrid usually doesn't do winter transfers. The club has already said they won't sell anyone in January, except for loaning Endrick to Lyon. So, they won't even think about a deal for Lunin until the season is over.
Lunin turned down offers from Turkish clubs last summer to compete for his spot at Real Madrid. The chance to start every week at Milan could change his mind. At 26, he's currently Courtois' backup. A move in 2026 could give him the playing time he wants. Manchester United was also interested in Lunin last summer, so there'll be plenty of teams after him.
Why Real Madrid Should Ask for More or Keep Lunin
Lunin showed what he's capable of when he filled in for Courtois. He has the skills to play at the highest level. He saved Real Madrid many times, including in important Champions League games. Because of his input, his value has increased.
The rumoured price of €10 million to €15 million seems too low. Lunin was key to Real Madrid's defence for most of the 2023/24 season. Real Madrid should ask for way more if they decide to sell. If not, they should keep him as a backup in case Courtois gets hurt again.
Selling him for that little would be a mistake. It’s almost impossible to find another backup as good as him for that price these days. It's hard to keep a keeper who wants to be the number one, but Xabi Alonso thinks having a deep squad is very important.
Real Madrid needs to think about the money versus the risk on the field. Letting a talent like Lunin go for cheap would be a bad move. Madrid should keep him unless Milan makes a much better offer. Having two top-notch goalkeepers creates a sense of security that money can't often buy.
MARKET REPORT: WHY CHELSEA IS SUDDENLY THE FAVORITE TO RESIGN ANTONIO RüDIGER
Antonio Rüdiger is considering a shock return to Chelsea as Real Madrid pause contract talks. Read why Xabi Alonso is hesitant.
Word on the street is that Antonio Rudiger might head back to Chelsea. The Real Madrid player is thinking about coming back to the Premier League. His deal with Real Madrid runs out in 2026, and he hasn't agreed to a new one yet. There's talk he might leave next summer and maybe even team up with Cristiano Ronaldo in Saudi Arabia.
Contract Talks On Hold
Back in November, Marca said that Rudiger and Real Madrid started talking about a new contract, but those talks are on pause now. His current contract is up at the end of the season. They started talking months ago, threw some numbers around, and both sides seemed to want a deal.
But they stopped talking after Rudiger hurt his muscle in September. They decided it wasn't right to make a deal while he was getting better.
Back to Chelsea?
Rudiger played for Chelsea for five years, winning a Champions League title, before moving to Real Madrid in 2022. Now, he might go back to Chelsea. There are rumours that Chelsea wants him back next summer, according to Diario AS.
Also, Paris Saint-Germain is interested, and Galatasaray is watching what's happening with him in Madrid.
Besides Europe, he's also wanted in Saudi Arabia. Al-Nassr and Al-Hilal are thinking about trying to get him next year.
What Alonso Thinks
BILD said in October that Xabi Alonso, the Madrid boss, isn't totally sold on Rudiger. He thinks Rudiger has been getting injured too much and hasn't been playing consistently. Also, Dean Huijsen, who joined in the summer, has been playing great and has already won a starting spot. Huijsen and Eder Militao have been a solid pair in the back, but Militao got hurt recently.
Madrid Might Not Sign Two Defenders
Even with Rudiger's future up in the air, AS says that Madrid isn't looking to sign two defenders anymore. They were looking at Ibrahima Konate from Liverpool and Dayot Upamecano from Bayern Munich. Both of those guys might leave their clubs since they're in the last six months of their contracts.
There were reports that Real Madrid wasn't interested in Konate because he hadn't been playing well lately. They might still move next summer, but it probably won't be to Real Madrid.
Alonso's team plays Real Betis at home on January 4 after the winter break.