According to insiders who spoke to Football Insider, Liverpool has been “hugely” excited by the expense of the Jude Bellingham transfer to Real Madrid and what it indicates for their own midfield summer rebuild.
The 19-year-old England superstar is poised to leave Borussia Dortmund for the Spanish giants in a deal of £88.5 million plus potential add-ons of another £26 million.
Even the total cost of the deal is significantly below the £130m figure that was being widely suggested in the wake of Bellingham’s stellar showing at the World Cup last December.
That is a major boost to Liverpool, sources say, as the early signs are that the value of transfers has not exploded this summer in the same way as many had predicted, and that the effect of Chelsea’s massive spending in the last year has not artificially inflated the market
This will suit the elite clubs preparing to spend big this summer, and means many of their top targets will not be out of reach.
Bellingham, who agreed to join Real after Liverpool pulled out of the race to sign him, will have a medical before sealing the transfer on a six year contract
The Spanish club waited until Dortmund had finished their season before moving on to the final parts of the deal. They intend to announce the move within days
Liverpool withdrew from the race because the cost, including a salary worth well in excess of £250,000-a-week, would have restricted the planned overhaul of Jurgen Klopp’s squad this summer.
The Merseysiders have already signed Alexis Mac Allister from Brighton for an initial £35m rising
The duo fit the profile of midfielder Klopp wants to add to his squad for the 2023-24 season in what is shaping up to be the club’s biggest overhaul in years
