Liverpool just received confirmation of ‘$60m’ transfer deal as FSG may have hit the jackpot again

Jude Bellingham’s assessment may have been a major blow to Liverpool and FSG, but it also demonstrates the extent of the deal he recently secured in the transfer market.
Earlier this season, Liverpool were reportedly hoping to sign Jude Bellingham from Borussia Dortmund for around $100 million.

But this week, FSG and the Reds signaled their intent to pull out of the race in the face of a massive $60 million price hike (via The Athletic).

So how did Bellingham go from a $100 million player (by Liverpool’s optimistic estimates) to a $161 million player in a matter of months?

It was born largely from the winter World Cup in Qatar, which has always been a source of fear for the club. Bellingham had not been a regular for England in their last major tournament – the postponed 2021 European Championships – with Gareth Southgate only using him off the bench three times, overlooking him in both the semi-final and final.

But he was only 17 when that tournament started, and over the next 18 months he had made such great progress that Southgate had no choice but to include him in their first team.

Furthermore, England, finalists of the European Championship, were a clear contender for the Jules Rimet trophy. Bellingham was ready to make a name for himself on the world stage and compete for the greatest honor of all.

A strong individual tournament, combined with collective success, would benefit his reputation and therefore his price. It was exactly what Dortmund wanted and exactly what Liverpool feared.

It turned out that England were knocked out by eventual finalists France in the quarter-finals, but that didn’t stop Bellingham from shining.

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He scored in the 6-2 win over Iran on Matchday 1 and was one of the best players for the Three Lions. He then set up Jordan Henderson in a standout performance in a 3-0 win over Senegal in the last 16.

The teenager was one of the most successful midfielders at the tournament and that was all Dortmund needed to significantly increase their demands in what was ultimately a crucial development for Liverpool.

Another player who played in Qatar was Cody Gakpo. The striker scored in all three of the Netherlands’ group stage matches, a fleeting header against Senegal, a rocketing left foot against Ecuador and a greedy right footed shot against Qatar.

Gakpo would then help the Dutch beat USMNT 3-1 in the round of 16, fighting back from two goals down to put eventual champions Argentina on penalties in the quarter-finals.

The PSV man has already had a sensational season at club level, scoring 13 goals and, surprisingly, 17 assists ahead of the World Cup.

Jude Bellingham’s abandoned move to Liverpool highlights how good the deal was for Cody Gakpo (Image: Photo by John Powell/Liverpool FC via Getty Images)

Leeds United and Southampton had tried to sign him last summer but he quickly became unreachable for those clubs, while Manchester United and Chelsea were exploring possible January deals.

Like Bellingham, Gakpo was leaning towards enjoying a breakaway tournament and he delivered. And yet, Liverpool were able to land him for an initial fee of just $46m (£37m/€41m), which, with add-ons (via The Athletic), could potentially be as high as $55m. dollars (44 million pounds sterling / 41 million euros). 49 million euros) could increase.

This was partly due to the financial difficulties faced by PSV after the Eredivisie club unsuccessfully bet on Champions League football.

Jude Bellingham’s abandoned move to Liverpool underlines how good the deal was for Cody Gakpo (Image: Photo by John Powell/Liverpool FC via Getty Images)

Leeds United and Southampton tried to sign him last summer, but he quickly became inaccessible to those clubs as Manchester United and Chelsea explored possible January deals.

Like Bellingham, Gakpo was engaged in a breakout tournament and he delivered.

And yet, Liverpool were able to land him for an initial fee of just $46m (£37m/€41m), which, with add-ons (via The Athletic), could potentially be as high as $55m. dollars (44 million pounds sterling / 41 million euros). 49 million euros) could increase. This stemmed in part from the financial demands faced by PSV after the Eredivisie side banked unsuccessfully on Champions League football.

A defeat to Rangers in qualifying forced him to raise $43m (£35m/€39m) through alternative means to balance the books.

Without these demands, the price of Gakpo could also have increased significantly.

It seemed like a good deal for FSG at the time and it could turn out to be a real deal, based on the flashes of promise Gakpo has shown so far. He has scored four Premier League goals to date and has the skills to thrive as Roberto Firmino’s false nine successor. The hope is that after his first full pre-season he can be promoted to a team that thrives rather than struggles next season.

On the one hand, the “World Cup effect” could have cost Liverpool a switch to Bellingham.

But on the other hand, to take something positive out of the situation, signing Gakpo for FSG, who may have just hit the transfer jackpot again, makes it even better.