Jude Bellingham signs shirt for Liverpool fan with Mohamed Salah shirt

While on duty in England, Jude Bellingham signed a shirt for a young Liverpool supporter, who wore “Mohamed Salah” on the back of his shirt.

Liverpool transfer target Jude Bellingham has been spotted signing what at first glance looks like a Liverpool shirt with England on international duty.

Bellingham has long been seen as the club’s top transfer target this summer, with Jurgen Klopp believing Bellingham is now a “top” priority for his midfielder this summer (via Christian Falk).

With England set to play two games against Italy and Ukraine in the coming days, Bellingham are expected to play an important role.

Bellingham was spotted signing the shirt of a young Liverpool fan who Reds supporters are no doubt hoping the player will do more of in the months and years to come. The fan in question is wearing a Mohamed Salah shirt and holding another red shirt for the signature – possibly another Liverpool number, although on closer inspection England’s away shirt might be more likely .

This week, The Athletic reported that Liverpool have slipped in the race to sign Bellingham, with the cost of signing the player potentially becoming too high for the club given competition from Real Madrid and Manchester City.

But Liverpool fans are hoping Trent Alexander-Arnold’s friendship with Bellingham could play a key role in convincing the Borussia Dortmund midfielder to turn down Real Madrid and Manchester City for Liverpool, as the couple recently attended a Chris Brown concert together in London. The two aren’t reunited in England this time around as the right-back is completely absent from the squad.

While Liverpool fans shouldn’t get too excited about the player signing a Liverpool shirt for a young fan, it’s a good idea as some players don’t like signing shirts from teams that don’t. are not currently theirs. Liverpool know they will face a momentous battle to sign Bellingham this summer

Also…

Gavi fits into Liverpool transfer trend as three-man ‘shortlist’ hints at Jurgen Klopp’s midfield plan

Liverpool-linked Gavi fits into a recurring transfer market theme, which could shed some light on how Jürgen Klopp intends to improve midfield this summer.

Liverpool did not play this weekend as the original Premier League match against Fulham was rescheduled for the FA Cup. Now that the Reds have had a chance to relax, many of Jürgen Klopp’s players are likely to have tuned in. El Clásico when Barcelona hosted Real Madrid.

The battle of the heavyweights was indeed a deciding factor in determining who would secure this season’s La Liga title – or at least who wouldn’t – with Barcelona winning 2-1 over their arch-rivals, effectively ending the race for the Los Blancos title. A certain Liverpool goal was present throughout the fight, with Klopp reportedly taking an interest in Gavi ahead of an unlikely summer transfer, according to The Times.

The Spanish wonderkid is seen as a potential fix for Klopp’s tired and worn out midfield department as the German coach is desperate for fresh legs and new life in midfield. Gavi is only 18 but he seems to have the world at his feet and seems like a perfect match for the Reds. He shows intensity and panache whenever he is involved.

Although his profile matches relatively perfectly, it is curious to note that Gavi was used as a striker against Real Madrid, acting on the left side of Barcelona’s attacking line alongside Robert Lewandowski and Raphinha, along with Sergi Roberto, Sergio Busquets and Frenkie de Jong forming the team’s midfield.

Gavi was indeed one of the better performers that night and it wasn’t the first time he was used in attack. In fact, he’s played on the left wing a number of times this season, which seems to be a recurring trend when looking at the midfielders Liverpool have been linked with lately.

Mason Mount is another player who is said to be on Klopp’s radar. The Chelsea star has a contract that expires in 2024, the Blues are said to be ready to sell him this summer if he doesn’t sign a renewal. Liverpool are one of the clubs interested in his services, which makes sense given he is a Champions League winner and one of England’s brightest talents.

Matheus Nunes is another name reported as a target according to ECHO. As he has already played for two clubs this season, namely Sporting CP and Wolves, the Reds were unable to make a move for him during the January winter spell.
Gavi, Mount and Nunes each have qualities and it’s fair to suggest they’d make a major impact on Klopp’s aging engine room, but it’s curious that all three have played further forwards at various times over the last few months.

Mount has been used across the pitch during his time at Stamford Bridge, often deploying as a forward or number 10. In Nunes terms, he has been out wide of late, whilst also being used as a number 10 at the start of the league season.

Klopp has an overwhelming midfield problem, but it’s perhaps a testament to his attacking nature that the Reds boss still seems keen on winning attacking players despite his side’s defensive concerns.

With The Athletic reporting that Liverpool are unlikely to be willing to pay the steep fee Borussia Dortmund want for prime target Jude Bellingham this summer, Gavi, Mount and Nunes could increase Klopp’s pecking order.

Liverpool have plenty of transfer options on the table, but whoever signs on the dotted line Klopp will have to make sure they strike the right balance. His unbridled attacking dynamism is admirable, but most of all the Reds need to improve on the ball.

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Why Jude Bellingham is worth of Liverpool and FSG spend despite the transfer being deemed “unlikely”

Jude Bellingham’s pursuit is becoming into a drama that Liverpool rarely gets engaged in, but the Dortmund midfielder might be worth the shift in strategy.

He won’t turn 20 until the end of June, but by then, a great number of clubs throughout Europe will be hoping to have him join their team.

Bellingham, though, who has already made 168 senior club appearances, including 23 in the Champions League, and 22 England caps, is viewed as the player to make a full-court press for.

That is maybe never more evident than with Liverpool, who this summer find themselves in a precarious scenario as a reconstruction is expected.

Although at least three midfielders are expected to go this summer, Bellingham has been identified as Jurgen Klopp’s top target by a number of trustworthy sources from Merseyside and elsewhere.

But things got more tricky with a humbling Champions League loss at the hands of rivals in transfers, Real Madrid.

There is no change.

Yet it’s not surprising that a new report on Liverpool’s pursuit, in which The Athletic’s David Ornstein calls a deal “increasingly implausible,” came out during a break for international competition.

The market has a perception that the Reds may find themselves at odds with City and Real Madrid’s financial pull, according to well-connected writer Ornstein.

The caveats, though, are more significant.

There has been no change. Liverpool was never anticipated to make the biggest offer. It “does not mean their quest is off,” as Ornstein puts it.

There hasn’t been a significant development in the work that Liverpool, City, Real Madrid, and other teams in England, Spain, France, and possibly even Germany are doing behind the scenes.

That is not to suggest that Liverpool has not encountered any roadblocks in its pursuit of signing their top target; a significant one is the possibility of missing out on Champions League play for an entire season.

Bellingham is shown as a young player who would put his football career ahead of money; nonetheless, whoever he joins will pay generously in both transfer fees and salaries regardless of where he plays.

Just the right amount for both parties
Undoubtedly, Liverpool are a perfect fit for the Birmingham City graduate, and this has been acknowledged in the AXA Training Centre’s hallways.

He would be a game-changing acquisition, much like Alisson and Virgil van Dijk before him.

He will have participated in more than 200 senior football matches for club and nation by the end of the season, which will be before his 20th birthday. He might have stolen his debut title.

Because of his playing style, which is a reflection of his experience, he can command the midfield fight with the assurance and skill of a seasoned veteran.

Yet he also gains from being young, which includes having vigor, drive, ambition, and the will to succeed.

According to statistics, he is the best front-footed midfielder in Europe, ranking in the top percentile for both progressive carries and passes made and received among positional peers. He also contributes well when the ball is not in his possession.

Emre Can, a teammate of Bellingham’s at Dortmund, was once compared by Brendan Rodgers to being “like a Rolls Royce” while they were both still playing for Liverpool.

It holds truer for Bellingham.

He is a midfielder who, at the age of 19, can be relied upon for at least the next ten years. If signed, he would be a future captain of England and could fill the same position for Liverpool.

He is a marketer’s dream off the field. The representative of the next generation in England.

Dortmund will now be in a stronger position to negotiate advances for their No. 22, who has a contract that runs through 2025 and has no release clause.

A multi-year contract at whichever club he were to join would almost probably pay him £200,000 per week, while the transfer fee is anticipated to reach £100 million.

He would easily surpass Liverpool’s current transfer record, the £85 million spent to sign Darwin Nunez from Benfica last summer, while also ranking among the highest-paid players at the team.

Those in the hierarchy may disagree with the idea of a “bidding war,” especially at this point, when Julian Ward, the departing sporting director, has no known successor.

As evidenced by the contracts they signed with Van Dijk, Nunez, Alisson, and Naby Keita—all of which came about after it was clear that they prioritized Anfield over other offers—Liverpool has not shied away from striking jaw-dropping agreements.

The similar situation caused a transfer for Aurelien Tchouameni to fall through last summer. This player was hailed as a companion for Bellingham rather than an alternative, but he ultimately chose the sunnier climate of Real Madrid.

There is no reason to think that this would be the main problem until there has been a significant change in Bellingham’s goals.

Only provide information as necessary

Even the most reputable sources, like Ornstein, frequently only obtain information that people who are closest to a deal want them to convey.

From a hypothetical standpoint, if Bellingham is already certain that Anfield will be his new home, the claims that the Reds are unable to match the financial bids of Manchester City and Real Madrid may actually be a case of brinkmanship between Liverpool and Dortmund.

The Bundesliga leaders may need to reach a compromise if the player has made up his mind that Merseyside or bust and Liverpool is willing to break their transfer record to sign him.

Of course, that might seem more like wishful thinking than anything else.

There is a need for more midfield additions as well as potential center-back reinforcement.

Germany’s Berlin, on July 29, 2017: Before a preseason friendly game between Liverpool and Hertha BSC Berlin at the Olympic Stadium, manager Jürgen Klopp of Liverpool speaks with owner John W. Henry. (Propaganda image by David Rawcliffe)

Major earners like Roberto Firmino, Naby Keita, and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, as well as loanee Arthur and, maybe, both James Milner and Adrian, will exit, freeing up money.

While allegations of interest in Diogo Jota are unlikely to result in a sale, other athletes like Nat Phillips, Caoimhin Kelleher, and Sepp van den Berg might also be moved.

However, it is no accident that Fenway Sports Group is looking for outside funding at this time given that the team’s pre-tax profit in the most recent fiscal year was only £7.5 million, despite the team reporting record revenues of £594 million.

Owner John Henry recently stated, “We’ve seen numerous football clubs go down unsustainable roads.

We have and will keep placing a priority on making prudent transfer market investments, and we are still immensely proud of our team.

Although it is hoped that a solution will be found by the summer, any increase in revenue could determine whether Bellingham wears red next season.

But as of right now, not much appears to have actually altered in the transfer saga that will take center stage in the upcoming months.

Bellingham remains the top priority target and is worthwhile spending a fortune on if financial goals are accomplished.