Liverpool are ‘in the race’ to sign Jude Bellingham, but why could they beat Man City – and Real Madrid, and others – to his signature?
Recent reports have suggested that the Reds could have the edge in the battle to sign the prodigious 19-year-old, whose stock has only risen further with impressive performances for England at the World Cup.
Here are five reasons why we believe Liverpool could sign the ‘generational talent’.
Reds’ historical appeal
Bellingham speaks with remarkable maturity for his age, possessing the natural confidence of a player in his prime years, rather than a teenager.
In the recent past, he has made it clear that money doesn’t motivate him, with success and playing for the right club far more important:
“You can have all the money you want from playing football and you can buy whatever you want, but being appreciated like that for creating so many memories for so many people.
“Winning the league, however many cups and winning the Champions League – that lives longer than any car you could buy or any house you could buy.
“That’s the thing that motivates me to create memories in football that I will remember forever and other people will remember forever.”
It is a refreshing approach and one that would no doubt give Liverpool the edge over City, given their status as one of English’s great traditional clubs.
The fact that Bellingham’s father reportedly thinks the Reds are the right next step for him in his career only further illustrates what a match they could be.
More chance of being a star man
Liverpool’s midfield has been a huge issue this season, with Fabinho and Jordan Henderson among those toiling in the middle of the park.
It is imperative that reinforcements are made in January – and next summer – and Bellingham is someone who would clearly go straight into Jurgen Klopp‘s strongest XI.
He could slot perfectly into the right-sided berth that has looked like a weak area, while his versatility would allow him to thrive on the left, as a No.10, or even in a Fabinho-esque role.
While Bellingham would immediately be an indispensable figure for Liverpool, he may find regular minutes harder to come by at City.
Pep Guardiola has an enviable amount of talent in that area, whether it be Rodri, Kalvin Phillips, Ilkay Gundogan, Kevin De Bruyne or Bernardo Silva, meaning the Dortmund man could be rotated more.
That would be a waste of a stunning talent – one who has already captained his club side at 19 and made 112 appearances – so it is another factor working in Liverpool’s favour.
Relationship with Trent & Hendo
One thing that has stood out during the World Cup is the bond that Bellingham has created with both Trent Alexander-Arnold and Henderson.
He has naturally gravitated towards the former during training, showcasing their technical brilliance in drills and even enjoying a “stroll in the city” together.
Meanwhile, an unlikely bromance has emerged between Bellingham and Henderson, with the pair excelling in midfield together and combining for England’s opener against Senegal.
They both clearly have huge respect for each other, with the former learning from such an experienced, selfless leader, and the latter benefiting from his colleague’s more expansive game.
It is naive to think that footballers don’t naturally try and persuade other players to join their club, and Alexander-Arnold and Henderson both seem to be doing their best in that respect.
Having such a strong relationship with two players could immediately make a move to Liverpool more seamless and it is easy to envisage Bellingham linking superbly with the pair at club level.
Emulating his hero
Bellingham has made it clear many times that Steven Gerrard was his footballing hero growing up, idolising arguably the greatest player in Liverpool’s history.
It’s certainly easy to draw comparisons with their box-to-box style, power, leadership and natural ability.
Bellingham will surely jump at the opportunity to emulate Gerrard at Anfield, with players of his more romantic approach often intent on creating a legacy rather than simply jumping from club to club.
He is possibly an even greater talent than Gerrard was at the same age – he only scored once for Liverpool before he was 20, whereas the youngster has 19 goals and 21 assists for Dortmund – and he could match the Reds legend as the years pass.
There isn’t a City player that Bellingham worshipped so much growing up, and watching Gerrard be so beloved by the adoring Anfield faithful could have been a taster for what he dreams of in the years to come.
The Klopp factor and style of play
Klopp and Guardiola are arguably the two outstanding managers of their generation, creating two footballing behemoths in Liverpool and City, respectively.
While it is hard to fault either, it is Klopp’s style of play that would surely naturally appeal more to Bellingham.
The German is more renowned for a “heavy metal” approach that allows midfielders to be lung-busting presences – something that could get the very best out of his game.
On the flip side, Guardiola is known more for turning his players into footballing robots, passing opponents to death and proving to be tactically immaculate.
While that approach has its perks, allowing City to dominate the vast majority of matches they play, it can make players less likely to express themselves.
Someone like Jack Grealish is a good example, with the England international no longer the maverick he was at Villa, and instead a key cog in the machine.
For that reason, Bellingham’s dynamic style makes Liverpool far more tailored to his needs than City.
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