Graeme Bailey has suggested that Jude Bellingham could remain at Borussia Dortmund for yet another season and believes that would actually give Liverpool the upper hand in their pursuit of the 19-year-old.
The talented midfielder is currently in Qatar preparing for the World Cup with England and is expected to hold crunch talks about his future with Dortmund CEO Hans-Joachim Watzke once he returns from the Middle East.
The Reds are believed to have made the teenager their top transfer target in the next two windows but the 90Min journalist has claimed that FSG won’t be willing to spend the huge fee that the Bundesliga outfit will demand for their star man – instead suggesting that new owners at Anfield would get the deal over the line.
“In terms of his future. What we do know is that with Borussia Dortmund there is a real confidence there that he might stay for another year,” Bailey told the Talking Transfers Podcast (via HITC). “They’re using Sancho and Haaland as examples saying ‘look Sancho moved a year early, Haaland stayed a year and look at the situation.’ It’s not comparable, but that’s what they’re showing him on the spreadsheets.
“There are teams pushing, I think Real Madrid would like him to stay for another year, and if he stays for another year he’ll be in Germany ready for the Euros in Germany.
“He hasn’t made his choice yet, certain teams are confident, but he hasn’t made his decision yet.
“That extra year is a good thing for Liverpool too, because it gives FSG a chance to sell the club and then the new owners might pay for Liverpool. If when Bellingham moves FSG are the owners, he will not move to Liverpool, because they will not pay what it takes to get him.”
Current owners FSG released a statement earlier this month suggesting they’re willing to listen to investment offers for the club.
It’s certainly not a process that John Henry and co are looking to rush and reports are claiming that the Americans are unsure whether to sell a stake of the club or sell it entirely.
Bellingham is expected to set any potential suitor back anywhere in the region of £100-150m and with a move in January highly unlikely, there is going to be serious interest for his services at the end of the season.
If he was to remain with Edin Terzic’s side for the 2023/24 campaign then that could mean new owners could be in place at L4 by then who would be willing to splash the cash more so than FSG.
It would also give the former Birmingham City star chance to continue his promising development before making his return to England.
Our current owners have shown a willingness to spend big at the club previously, however, so a move for the Dortmund No. 22 shouldn’t be completely ruled out under their stewardship.
Virgil van Dijk, Alisson Becker and Darwin Nunez are some of the names that have all arrived on Merseyside off the back of huge transfer fees.
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