Liverpool have been reassured that securing Champions League football for the next campaign shouldn’t be considered a dealbreaker as far as their hopes of signing Jude Bellingham are concerned, Christian Falk exclusively informed CaughtOffside in his latest Substack column.
The talented Englishman’s contract is set to expire in 2025, which will likely signal the beginning of talks between interested parties and Borussia Dortmund over the young prodigy’s signature in the near future.
“I think qualification for Champions League football isn’t the only interesting point for Jude Bellingham as far as Liverpool’s interest in the player is concerned – if they don’t qualify, it wouldn’t be a no-go for the player,” the BILD reporter wrote.
“Of course, the bigger question we’re always talking about is whether Liverpool have the money to buy him in the first place if they don’t secure top four football at the end of the season.
“Perhaps they’ll have a new owner who will provide the necessary finances to sign Bellingham, perhaps they’ll still qualify for the Champions League and can buy him.
“I think it’s a good sign from Spain that they now understand Jude Bellingham’s preference for a move lies within the Premier League. It’s a good sign for Liverpool fans too that it’s not the case he doesn’t want to wait for the club – he’s not nervous about the decision.”
The Merseysiders, it is understood, remain at the forefront, though question marks have to be raised over the club’s ability to finance a deal that could very well reach, if not exceed, £130m.
Those who have witnessed the quality of the teenager’s performances at the World Cup, not to mention in the Bundesliga where the midfielder has already showcased remarkable leadership abilities at the tender age of 19, will agree that the asking price is more than justified.
Though, if the Reds do fail to secure their status as a Champions League club for another season, it should raise concerns over their ability to launch a move for Bellingham in the summer.
Whilst Cody Gakpo’s transfer has put a dent in the money that had been set aside for Aurelien Tchouameni in 2022, one should imagine that the club will still be capable of launching at least one big-money move at the end of the season.
Whether that warchest, in whatever form it takes, should be spent on just one signing (albeit a phenomenal potential addition) is another question entirely.