Borussia Dortmund are reportedly plotting to almost double Jude Bellingham’s wages in an attempt to keep the England international beyond 2023, with Liverpool interested in signing the 19-year-old superstar.
According to Bild, discussions are taking place behind the scenes at Dortmund to offer Bellingham a new deal worth €6m-a-year, a huge improvement on the midfielder’s current contract which sees the former Birmingham City star earn €3.5m-a-year with the Bundesliga giants.
Bellingham has been a regular for Dortmund ever since joining the German club back in 2020, and the midfielder’s incredible rise on the continent has seen Liverpool take a serious interest in the Three Lions prodigy, with reports of a £100m move next summer continuing to do the rounds.
Hailed by Ian Wright as an ‘unbelievable’ talent, many Liverpool fans and pundits expect Liverpool to move for Bellingham next summer, though as per Bild, Real Madrid are also interested in signing the England international, who could be at the centre of a bidding war in 2023.
Indeed, with other top clubs no doubt also interested in Bellingham, Liverpool face an even bigger challenge to sign the teenager next year should Dortmund manage to commit the midfielder to a new contract with a greatly improved salary, a move that could further increase his price tag.
However, given Liverpool’s need for a central midfielder already next summer and how long talks of a move in 2023 have been reported, Dortmund’s plan to double Bellingham’s salary could be all for nothing if the Reds push hard enough to sign the midfielder, who could be open to a move to the Premier League.
Liverpool should still sign Bellingham regardless of new Dortmund salary
Bellingham might soon be earning close to £100,000-a-week at Dortmund should he accept the club’s new contract proposal, but that does little to stop Liverpool’s plan to sign the midfielder, with the Reds more than capable of offering the 19-year-old more as a Premier League starter.
After all, Liverpool are one of the best well-run clubs in Europe, and with the likes of James Milner, Naby Keita and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain all having their current deals expire next year, there will be more than enough leftover wages to match whatever Bellingham is looking for to move to Anfield.
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