Liverpool are "still in the race" to sign £110m sensation claims transfer expert
It’s been a challenging season for Liverpool…
Their summer transfer philosophy, which saw the club refrain from bringing in a new midfielder, was one that seemed astute at first.
Though, with hindsight, we can safely say that the decision is one that would come back to bite them.
The club are nowhere near where they should be this season and currently face an uphill battle to secure european football in any capacity, with Brighton and Brentford breathing down the neck of Jurgen Klopp’s side in the Premier League standings.
What’s the word?
Despite their potential absence from Champions League qualification this season, transfer expert Pete O’Rourke believes that Liverpool are “still in the race” to sign £110million Jude Bellingham.
Though, the journalist acknowledges that the race to sign the England international will be “really difficult.”
Speaking to GIVEMESPORT, O’Rourke said:
"They're still in the race, I think, for Jude Bellingham, but it's going to be a really difficult race looking at the other clubs who are also after him.
"The likes of Manchester City and Real Madrid can afford to probably spend more than Liverpool can right now and they will have Champions League football to offer to Jude Bellingham, which, as it stands, is looking unlikely for Liverpool. So that could play a huge role in any potential move for Jude Bellingham as well."
Desperate Reds
Injuries have certainly not helped Liverpool this season and have highlighted the Reds’ lack of depth, particularly throughout the midfield ranks.
There is also a drastic lack of creativity in Klopp’s engine room.
So much so, that the vast majority of chances this season have come from the wide areas in the form of Trent Alexander-Arnold (48 chances created), Mohamed Salah (47 chances created), and Andrew Robertson (39 chances created).
The most creative central midfielder for Liverpool in the Premier League this season is Harvey Elliott with 20 chances created. Though, the 19-year-old has of course been deployed further up the pitch on occasion, so make of that what you will.
Ultimately, Liverpool are desperate for a creative and stable midfield outlet. A figure who can pull the strings and develop with the squad for years to come.
Bellingham can certainly be that man.
The Final Say
The Reds are desperate for an asset like Borussia Dortmund star Bellingham - an impactful central option that can grab the game by the scruff of the neck.
At just 19-years-old, Bellingham has quickly emerged as a talismanic figure for the Bundesliga title challengers and has endured stellar form in both domestic and european competition.
The England star’s haul of four goals and one assist in seven Champions League games this term is not so much of a shock, considering his underlying numbers over the last calendar year.
Bellingham’s shots total of 1.70 per 90 is a metric that places him in the 88th percentile according to FBref, whilst his average of 7.99 progressive passes places him in a more superior 94th percentile.
Whatsmore, an average of 3.62 shot-creating actions per game is yet another world-beating metric, clocking him in the 89th percentile in comparison to positionally similar players in Europe’s top five leagues over the last 365 days. Impressive to say the least.
It goes without saying that Liverpool should be doing everything they can to obtain what is one of Europe’s most prosperous assets, though as O’Rourke states, it will not be an easy battle against the likes of Manchester City and Real Madrid.
It’s also worth noting that a potential stay at Dortmund will seem appealing at this point, especially with Edin Terzic’s side mounting a serious Bundesliga title challenge.