Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola was left bewildered by just how good Jude Bellingham has become after witnessing at first hand the growing capabilities of the Liverpool-linked midfielder.
The 19-year-old is emerging as one of European football’s most-sought after stars – and it’s easy to see why. The teenager is one game away from his 100th game for Borussia Dortmund, marking his 99th performance on Wednesday night with his 13th goal for the Bundesliga side.
That strike saw him open the scoring with a deft header against Guardiola’s City. Indeed, it was not just the finish, but the movement and timing of his run that made that such an excellently-taken goal. In addition, his all-round talent in the Dortmund midfield was there for all to see. Quite simply, Bellingham has it all.
His links with a move to Liverpool are well documented. Indeed, reports over the summer claim they are working on a deal to bring him back to the Premier League in 2023. To that end, reports are growing that a deal in the region of £103m is in the works.
The Reds have an ageing midfield and fresh legs will certainly be required. To that end, Thiago Alcantara and Jordan Henderson are both on the wrong side of 30 and look more injury-prone that ever before. James Milner, 37 in the new year, is also surely now in his last season at Anfield.
To add to their issues, both Naby Keita and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain fall out of contract next summer. Both are eligible to negotiate free transfer moves from January 1.
As such, it’s little surprise that Jurgen Klopp is seemingly desperate to get his hands on the midfielder.
Trusted source claims Liverpool are favourites for Jude Bellingham
The Reds, of course, won’t be the only side looking to sign Bellingham. Pundit Owen Hargreaves believes a move to Manchester United could also be on the cards, with his prospective signing capable of transforming their midfield.
However, the Daily Telegraph insist that it is Liverpool who are in pole position for his signing. They expect Dortmund to make the midfielder available for transfer next summer, with the Reds at the forefront of that queue.
That falls in line with a frequent pattern that has emerged at Dortmund over the years whereby they sell one top talent every summer. By buying young and selling for vast profits, that is a policy that has served the Bundesliga giants well.
That’s despite their sporting director Sebastian Kehl insisting Bellingham remains happy at Dortmund and they are ready to abandon their annual sale of their best stars with Bellingham.
That said, the teenager’s value has soared dramatically since his initial £20.7m move from Birmingham in July 2020. And the Telegraph maintains that Dortmund would find hard to resist a giant offer from the Reds were it to arrive.
Furthermore, Mike McGrath claims Bellingham’s display at the Etihad on Wednesday night has only served to convince Klopp that Bellingham is a must-buy for the Merseysiders.
Bellingham’s goal makes him the most prolific English teenager in Champions League history, overtaking Wayne Rooney in the process.
Pep Guardiola wowed by midfielder’s display
While Liverpool are favourites for his signature, one man who is well aware of his talents is Guardiola.
The City boss has witnessed at first hand the player’s development with Bellingham also scoring against them in the quarter-finals last season.
However, Wednesday night saw Bellingham raising his game to another level, with a phenomenal all-round performance.
Guardiola was clearly hugely impressed too when giving his verdict on the 15-times capped England star.
“I was impressed when he was 17. Imagine (what I think about him) now that he’s 19!” Guardiola said.
“Bellingham) grew up so (much). Defensively, he’s able to follow (Ilkay) Gundogan or Kevin (De Bruyne) in the pockets and win the duels.
“So he’s an exceptional player. I think everyone knows it. Not because the manager of Manchester City is going to tell you. Everybody knows it.”
As such, it’s easy to see why Liverpool will be going all out to land Bellingham in 2023. This summer, when the Reds needed a new midfielder, they opted to sign Arthur Melo on loan.
That refusal to sanction a permanent deal for another target will, most likely, have been with a future raid for Jude Bellingham in mind.
Any deal, though, is likely to shatter the Reds’ current transfer record. That though will surely be worth it with the star likely to be a top midfielder for the next decade at least.
