Liverpool ‘increasingly UNLIKELY to sign Jude Bellingham due to anticipated fee
Liverpool are ‘increasingly UNLIKELY to sign Jude Bellingham because of the anticipated fee and financial power of their rivals… with Man City and Real Madrid now in ‘stronger positions’ to land the England and Dortmund star
- Liverpool were thought to be front runners to sign Jude Bellingham this summer
- But Manchester City and Real Madrid have greater financial might in the market
- Jurgen Klopp will be leading a huge overhaul at Anfield in the summer window
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Liverpool‘s chances of winning the race to sign Jude Bellingham this summer have been dampened in the face of the high price tag Borussia Dortmund will place on the gifted midfielder, according to reports.
The 19-year-old England international, who shone once again in Dortmund’s 6-1 victory over Cologne which saw them finish the weekend at the top of the Bundesliga, has long been linked to the Merseyside club ahead of his expected departure from Germany this summer.
But as Dortmund have no obligation to sell Bellingham, with no release clause in his contract – which is due to run until 2025 – they are likely to demand the highest possible fee should they choose to sell the player.
Reports in Spain previously placed a €140m (£123.7m) price tag on Bellingham when speculating that Real Madrid had made an opening offer for the young star.
The Spanish giants, as well as Manchester City, are the two other clubs tracking Bellingham’s future the closest, and as per The Athletic, are now likelier destinations should Bellingham make a move this summer.
A move for Jude Bellingham will come with a high price tag as Dortmund are keen to keep him
Jurgen Klopp has been public about his admiration for the gifted teenage midfielder
In the face of the economic power of both Real Madrid and City, Liverpool are a doubt to enter a bidding war at such a high level, even one over a player that has been long-desired by manager Jurgen Klopp.
‘Everyone agrees he is just exceptional,’ Klopp stated during a press conference ahead of Liverpool’s Boxing Day tie against Aston Villa.
‘Imagine someone saw him for the first time, how old would they think he is? Nobody would get even close. He plays so mature, like a 28-year-old.
‘The things he can do already are difficult to learn, and the things he has to improve are easy to lean,’ the German manager added.
Another wrinkle in Liverpool’s pursuit is uncertainty around Champions League football next season.
After an inconsistent season, the Reds currently sit sixth in the Premier League and were knocked out of the Champions League last week following a 6-2 aggregate thrashing by their rivals for Bellingham, Real Madrid.
The club is no longer in contention for trophies this season, with nothing to add to their trophy cabinet in 2023 save for last summer’s Community Shield victory over City.
Bellingham has impressed for club and country, featuring heavily in the 2022 Qatar World Cup
Virgil van Dijk was downcast about Liverpool’s prospects without a summer rebuild after their Champions League exit in Madrid
A top-four finish looks some way off, and beyond Bellingham, other aspects of their squad will need rebuilding over the summer, which could impact their budget for individual new signings.
Virgil van Dijk urged his club to take the summer transfer window seriously following their Champions League defeat, saying the need for quality imports in number was ‘quite obvious’.
But despite this weakened position, Liverpool have by no means abandoned their interest in Bellingham, who will join up with the England set-up this week ahead of Thursday’s European Championship qualifier against Italy in Naples.
The Three Lions will then face Ukraine at Wembley on Sunday.
