Jurgen Klopp has agreed with Liverpool chiefs to go all in on Jude Bellingham next summer, according to reports in Germany.
Bellingham, 19, is one of the hottest properties in European football right now after becoming a key member of Borussia Dortmund‘s midfield at such a young age.
The race for his signature is expected to intensify at the end of the current season, with the likes of Real Madrid, Manchester City and Chelsea also circling as well as Liverpool.
According to Sport Bild, the Reds are now hellbent on luring Bellingham to Merseyside after Klopp made it clear he would be fully behind a big-money move next summer.
Anfield officials are understood to have set around £86million aside to get their hands on the England international – but that price falls way below Dortmund’s valuation.
It is believed the Bundesliga club, who tied Bellingham down to a new four-year contract in 2021, will demand at least £129m for his services.
Should Liverpool or one of their English rivals meet that valuation, they would smash the record Premier League transfer – Jack Grealish’s £100million switch to City last year – by almost £30million.
But according to El Chiringuito journalist Jose Alvarez Haya, as reported by Marca, Bellingham would prefer to sign for Madrid than head back to his home country next summer.
The teenager reportedly wants to spearhead a new generation in Los Blancos’ midfield, where he believes he can prove himself an ‘important’ player.
City are understood to have made contact with his representatives, only to be told that Madrid would be his first priority if the right offer came in.
Klopp will be looking to strengthen in central midfield as Liverpool have been decimated by injuries in that area so far this season.
The Reds made an emergency move for Arthur Melo on loan from Juventus in the summer as cover but even he has fallen victim to injury.
Bellingham has made 109 appearances for Dortmund after moving to Germany for £25million from Birmingham in 2020.
Manchester United gave Bellingham a tour of their Carrington training ground back in 2020 as part of their attempts to sign the highly-rated youngster when he was at Birmingham.
Such was the impact he had in a short space of time at St Andrew’s that the Blues controversially retired his No 22 shirt after letting him join Dortmund to ‘remember one of our own and to inspire others’.
Eight months shy of his 20th birthday, Bellingham has already earned 17 caps for England and is a certainty to be included in Gareth Southgate’s World Cup squad later this month.
He could also start England’s first game of the tournament in Qatar against Iran on November 21.
Credit: dailymail.co.uk
