Liverpool has identified Jude Bellingham as their key target next summer and is considered to be leading the race for his signature. This is according to the English news outlet Mirror.
As per the report, the key factor that helps the Reds in the race is Erling Haaland. While all other Premier League sides are fighting to sign the Norwegian, Liverpool has shifted their attention to Jude Bellingham.
The English international who is still 18 has been excellent for Borussia Dortmund. As a result, if Liverpool wants to sign Jude Bellingham, they will have to spend big.
AMAZING TALENT
Jude Bellingham, who was an academy product of Birmingham City made his big-money move to Borussia Dortmund in the summer of 2020. This was amidst interest from Premier League giants like Manchester United.
This move was decisive as Jude soon broke into the Dortmund first team. His rise in the team has been meteoric and he became a regular in the starting eleven. In his first full season, the English midfielder appeared 46 times for Dortmund across all competitions. He was instrumental in the team build-up and contributed 4 goals and 4 assists from his midfield position.
Jude upped the ante this season as he started to get involved more in the attack. In just 22 matches so far this season, he has scored 3 times for his club. He also has assisted 9 times for his teammates, regularly arriving in the box from the midfield.
Though just 18, Jude is showing maturity beyond his age. He is an excellent passer of the ball and loves to dribble. More importantly, he is a pivotal part of the Dortmund team with his energy and drive. He is also extremely versatile, able to cover multiple positions for his team. With many years ahead of him, the heights the 18-year-old can reach is tremendous.
LIVERPOOL EYEING BELLINGHAM OVER HAALAND
This impressive performance has earned the attention of top clubs. Liverpool is one of the sides that are monitoring his progress alongside the likes of Manchester City, Manchester United and Chelsea.
But as per reports, the Reds could become the winners as other sides are prioritising Haaland over Bellingham. This opens the chance for Liverpool to concentrate on the midfielder. However, they will have to spend somewhere close to £90m to sign him.
Liverpool does need to reinforce their midfield, especially after not signing anyone since Georginio Wijnaldum left this summer. The other midfield options include Jordan Henderson, James Milner and Thiago Alcantara, who are all 30 and above.
While Curtis Jones and Harvey Elliott are young and have broken into the team, there is still a question about the Naby Keita and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain. Both have been injury-prone and struggle to put together a consistent run of games. Signing Bellingham while adding more quality to the team will also help in bringing down the age of the midfield.
It is only December and Dortmund have in the past expressed that they are not looking to sell Bellingham. The English international has a contract till 2025 and hence the German side is under no pressure to sell him immediately. With Haaland looking most likely to move away, Dortmund will not want to sell another asset in the same window.
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