England's Jude Bellingham celebrates qualifying for the quarter finals
Liverpool have been handed a boost in their pursuit of Jude Bellingham, as the midfielder has no plans of extending his contract with Borussia Dortmund.
The Lowdown: Liverpool targeting Bellingham
Transfer guru Fabrizio Romano has recently claimed that the England international is Jurgen Klopp‘s ‘top priority’ to bolster his midfield, although he added that the race is ‘very much open’ due to the interest of Real Madrid and Manchester City.
The 19-year-old’s contract with Dortmund is set to expire in June 2025, so the Bundesliga giants have no pressing need to sell him in January, but there will soon come a point when they need to begin thinking about cashing in.
The Latest: Bellingham preparing to leave?
According to Football Insider, the midfielder has no intention of signing a new contract to remain at Signal Iduna Park, despite his club being set to offer him a new contract.
It is claimed that this is a huge ‘boost’ for his potential suitors across the continent, with both Liverpool and Man City pushing hard to secure his signature.
The Verdict: Get it done
Liverpool are in dire need of a new option in midfield, considering that Jamie Carragher expressed concern about Fabinho’s form earlier this season, and that captain Jordan Henderson – while a fantastic servant to the club – is now 32.
That’s not to mention that the trio of Naby Keita, James Milner and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain will all be out of contract at the end of June as things stand.
There is perhaps no better midfielder that Klopp could bring in than Bellingham, given just how impressive he has been for Dortmund at such a young age. The 2021 Kopa Trophy runner-up has weighed in with ten goals and four assists in 23 games so far this season, an unbelievable return from central midfield.
Hailed as ‘sensational‘ by Gary Lineker, the starlet has also captained Dortmund, becoming the youngest player ever to do so, an indicator that he has the leadership qualities to be a long-term successor for Henderson to go alongside his evident ability on the ball.
It will be difficult to win the race for the Englishman’s signature given the firm level of interest in him and the unlikelihood of the Reds achieving Champions League football for 2023/24. However, Klopp will now be hoping for a much-improved second half of the season so that Liverpool will remain an attractive proposition in the summer.
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