Sol Campbell says Real Madrid is a better fit for Bellingham than a team in the Premier League

Arsenal’s legendary defender, Sol Campbell, spoke at a football event — The Winter League Convention — in Turkey, and while on the panel, he discussed a few Real Madrid talking points, mainly on Jude Bellingham, Gareth Bale, and the team’s youth development.

“Real Madrid is obviously one of the great historical teams, and the way he is going, if he keeps going in the same direction, Bellingham would be perfect for Real Madrid because he is very young,” Campbell said. “He’s way ahead in a lot of things, he just needs the right club and the right manager to guide him in the right direction, that’s all. And the right environment, because sometimes you can go to the wrong environment and so you waste your talent for a few years.

“If he goes to Madrid, he will improve the team now, but also the club can keep him for the future. They are a club that knows what to do with young players, to make sure they are going in the right direction and continue to perform. And at Real Madrid, if you’re good, you stay a long time. They keep all the really good players and Bellingham is one of the best young players. He just needs the right environment to keep your feet on the ground and keep learning.”

Campbell says he would choose Real Madrid over teams in the Premier League.

“For me, if I had a team like Real Madrid or one of these big clubs, I wouldn’t need to go back to the Premier League,” the former Arsenal center-back said. “Yes, there are great clubs in the Premier, but Real Madrid... is historically, you know, the one with the most Champions Leagues.”

Campbell was also asked about Gareth Bale, who announced his retirement from football this week.

“He has had a wonderful career, especially at Real Madrid,” Campbell said. “Amazing. His ending has been a little worse. But all in all, he’s a wonderful career. He has scored incredible goals. You have to take off your hat. He started as a left back. Then he went from Southampton to Tottenham. He made little adjustments to his game, and the rest is history.”