According to a Spanish source, Liverpool have made a big-money move to sign Borussia Dortmund ace Jude Bellingham for next summer.
The Lowdown: Reds register Bellingham interest
The 18-year-old first made the huge switch to the German giants when he left Birmingham City back in 2020, but even though he still has three years remaining on his current contract at the Signal Iduna Park, his impressive performances have caught the eye.
It was reported earlier this month that the Reds had shown interest in the midfielder, but given the fact that the Bundesliga outfit had already lost Erling Haaland to fellow Premier League rivals Manchester City, they weren’t willing to let any more of their star players leave.
The Latest: Liverpool make big-money offer
In a new article published by Spanish outlet SER Deportivos, it’s claimed that whilst Real Madrid are in the race for Bellingham’s signature, the La Liga giants face a ‘big problem’ in Jurgen Klopp's Liverpool, who are said to have ‘already’ offered €100m (£86.1m) to Dortmund.
The source further states that Carlo Ancelotti’s side face the issue that they are only allowed to have a particular number of non-EU players in their squad due to La Liga rules, meaning that they can't move until Vinicius Junior becomes a citizen next year.
The two teams could apparently engage in a 'duel between the greats' to secure Bellingham's signature, albeit for an arrival next summer.
The Verdict: Succession plan for Henderson?
If Bellingham were to sign a Naby-Keita-esque deal to join the club 12 months from now, he could provide the perfect option to play alongside and eventually succeed captain Jordan Henderson.
The two of them will already be so used to playing together in Gareth Southgate’s England squad, and the £72m-rated gem has proven to be a brilliant creative outlet for Dortmund, having registered 14 assists along with his six goals last term, as per Transfermarkt.
With the Reds captain not getting any younger, the central midfield area will be a transfer priority for Klopp in the coming years, and Bellingham is a highly-talented player who still has plenty of his prime years ahead of him.