Liverpool believe they are the frontrunners in the race to sign Borussia Dortmund midfielder Jude Bellingham, it has been claimed.

The lowdown: Bellingham is a top target for the Reds

Back in December, Jurgen Klopp's side were said to have made signing the 19-year-old their main priority, according to Sky Sports. However, the Reds boss has laughed off any interest in Bellingham, with his focus being on the performances of his Liverpool side.

It's not just Liverpool that are interested in signing the player, though, with Real Madrid and Chelsea also linked with the Englishman in recent times.

The Latest: Jacobs claims Liverpool have put in groundwork for Bellingham

Speaking to GiveMeSport, journalist Ben Jacobs claims Liverpool have done 'so much' to get his family on board and that they're also willing to 'pay big'.

In addition, Jacobs believes that the club will be confident that they are the 'frontrunners' for Bellingham's services.

He stated, "Right now, because Liverpool have done so much to assure the family that there’s a plan and because Jurgen Klopp has been involved and players have been involved, and because Liverpool are prepared to pay big and strike a deal from a club-to-club sense, I believe that Liverpool consider themselves frontrunners."

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The Verdict: Liverpool need to go all out for Bellingham

Liverpool need to improve their midfield options and Bellingham would be a great addition to their squad.

The last time the Reds signed a central midfielder on a permanent deal was back in the 2020/21 season when they signed Thiago. This indicates that Klopp's side could do with refreshing his options in the middle of the park.

As for Bellingham, who has been hailed as a 'scary' player, his stats from the past year have been sensational. When you compare him to other midfielders from Europe's top competitions, he ranks very highly.

He places in the top 5% for non-penalty goals scored, the top 4% for dribbles completed and the top 7% for progressive passes received (as per FBref).

Considering how well he's performing, it would come as no surprise if Dortmund wanted to hold onto Bellingham until the summer.

Even if they have to hold off until then, Bellingham will surely be worth the wait, as with his incredible stats at such a young age, it's likely he'll only get better and better.