Where there are rumours and reliable reports linking Liverpool with their dream signing – Jude Bellingham – there are counterweights that suggest the Reds are at a serious financial disadvantage to their rivals and at risk of losing out on the transfer altogether.
Assuming that the club is capable of meeting Borussia Dortmund’s asking price, however, the only obstacle that remains is the player’s wage demands and, of course, his personal preference.
Given that the midfielder is said to not be particularly materialistic, however, with multiple sources praising the England international for the ongoing commitment to his personal development, one might venture that the playing field would be significantly levelled.
“Bellingham appears different,” Oliver Kay wrote for The Athletic.
“People would use the word “streetwise” in connection with Rooney, but in many ways they meant it literally with regard to his familiarity with (and reluctance to leave behind) the streets where he was raised in Croxteth, Merseyside.
“Bellingham, by contrast, appears “world-wise”; he left Birmingham City for Dortmund just a few weeks after turning 17 and has flourished both on and off the pitch in Germany.
“After Sunday’s game, he was photographed with his parents Mark and Denise.
“He is said to be pleasingly indifferent to material things; in at least two interviews, Bellingham has dismissed the idea of being motivated by “money and all that rubbish”. He manages to combine being down-to-earth with being totally self-assured. It is a rare combination.”
We know there are other factors that the 19-year-old will consider – building up a pros and cons list in a similar approach to former Dortmund teammate Erling Haaland – before making a definitive decision.
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From our world-class training facilities and our recently renovated stadium to our strong squad and talented manager, there are, objectively, plenty of reasons to favour a switch to Anfield.
Equally, of course, there’s a great deal to admire about the projects at Manchester City (especially now that Pep Guardiola has extended his stay) and Real Madrid, though we’d be foolish to overlook the allure of life in Merseyside.
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