Press interview with Jude Bellingham

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Liverpool are becoming less and less likely to sign Jude Bellingham this summer for financial reasons, but the evidence suggests it is worth it for FSG.

Liverpool fans woke up to bad news on Monday morning. The Reds have a midfield overhaul to deal with this summer and Jude Bellingham is well known to be their top target, but recent news suggests his signature could be hard to come by.

According to The Athletic, the finances involved in a deal make it “increasingly unlikely” Liverpool will be able to sign Bellingham. Whether this is just a negotiating tactic emanating from Anfield remains to be seen, but it doesn’t bode well for what lies ahead. Under the ownership of Fenway Sports Group, the Reds have earned a reputation for being cautious and efficient in the transfer market. Modern Liverpool are obsessed with value, although this economical approach can sometimes be interpreted as cheap.

FSG are rightly concerned about the chaotic nature of the transfer market. It makes sense to proceed with caution, rather than essentially doing what Chelsea have done since being taken over by Todd Boehly’s consortium last summer, signing a slew of new players from across Europe.

Liverpool want to get it right and therefore the high transfer fee seems almost intimidating for FSG. However, Bellingham presents enough evidence to suggest he’s worth every penny, posing as another Virgil van Dijk or Alisson Becker.

Both Reds joined Liverpool in 2018 for record-breaking fees and have since justified their respective prices by operating as ‘transformers’ on Merseyside, with Bellingham able to make a similar impact.

First of all, the Englishman is only 19 and already captain of Borussia Dortmund, giving an insight into his character and innate driving ability which could be invaluable as James Milner is now 37 and could be at the end to depart. of the campaign.

Inspecting the numbers, Bellingham seems heavily involved in both attack and defence, establishing himself as a well-rounded midfielder and all-round presence who possesses very few weaknesses.

No player in the Bundesliga has won more games so far this season than Bellingham, and when it comes to tackles and interceptions he ranks ninth in all of the German top flight, regularly winning the ball back for Borussia Dortmund. Be the first to comment

He’s had more tackles in the final third than any other player – meaning he’s suited to Klopp’s pressing game – and of the 39 players who have tried to dribble past him this season, only 10 have did.

By comparison, 233 players have attempted to dribble past Jordan Henderson over the past five and a half seasons and only 91 have been stopped.

Only one player in the Bundesliga has completed more dribbles in the future than him, and he also ranks second in the entire league for fouls, with the opposition often having to trip him to stop him.

Liverpool’s goal ranks second in progressive passing behind only Bayern Munich’s Joshua Kimmich – capturing his value as a passer – and Bellingham has touched the net ten times in all competitions this season, registering six more assists in the process .

The term ‘generation’ is thrown around a lot in football, but it really seems to apply to Borussia Dortmund’s young wonderkid. FSG’s sustainable transfer policy is admirable at times, but when it comes to Bellingham they could easily handle Liverpool’s engine room for the next decade and beyond.

It’s expensive, but it’s worth it.