After months of speculation that Jude Bellingham would be making the move to Liverpool this summer, it now appears as though the Reds have given up in their attempts to bring the talented England international to Anfield. It’s been reported that the likely financial package of over £130 million is simply too much for Liverpool, and that the money would be better spent elsewhere in what will be a vital summer for the club as far as rebuilding is concerned.
And yet, there is a sense of disappointment among the supporters who, for many months now, have been banking on seeing Bellingham in a red shirt last season. The 19-year-old is a generational talent, and will play a defining role in European football for the next decade or more. For many Liverpool fans, it will be a shame if those years aren’t spent at Anfield.
The news that Liverpool are unlikely to have Bellingham among their ranks has come as a surprise to some, so let’s analyse a few factors that are at play.
The reality of Liverpool’s current slump
Liverpool’s disastrous Premier League form, and the subsequent unlikelihood of them securing Champions League football for next season, means that the club’s recruitment department will have to look with a wider scope this summer. There will be a number of potential targets who won’t fancy a move to Anfield if Champions League football can’t be offered. This is the sad result of Liverpool’s status slipping in the football betting.
It’s unclear if this would have had an impact on Bellingham. After all, many were saying that the Englishman favoured a move to Anfield this summer, irrespective of whether or not Jurgen Klopp’s side were playing in the Champions League, but the nature of Liverpool’s slump means that they may now need more new recruits than originally thought, and a move for the expensive Bellingham must be sacrificed.
The summer rebuild
Indeed, Klopp faces a major summer in terms of rebuilding his team, especially in midfield. There are too many ageing, fading forces in central areas for Liverpool, and that area of the pitch is crying out for new blood — players who can bring energy and spark to a team that has stagnated.
Bellingham would have been the perfect addition, but if Liverpool can use that same money to bring in two or three other midfielders with high potential, then it may make more sense than blowing the whole budget on one star.
Questions must be asked of the club’s hierarchy though, when you consider that this decline of the likes of James Milner and Jordan Henderson, along with the ineffective form of Naby Keita and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain has been clear to see for some time. Such a major influx of new signings shouldn’t really be necessary if a squad is correctly managed.
A negotiation tactic?
Of course, some of the more optimistic supporters are hoping that Liverpool’s apparent retreat from a deal for Bellingham is a simple negotiation tactic. Borussia Dortmund will be well aware of Liverpool’s midfield struggles, and have every right to extract as much cash out of a sale as possible. If the Reds can send a message that they won’t be extorted, perhaps a more manageable deal could be struck.
However, with the likes of Real Madrid and Manchester City willing to spend whatever it takes to bring Bellingham in, it looks likely that Liverpool will be left to do without the man who, at one stage, looked like the future of the club.
