Former Premier League owner Simon Jordan hopes to see Jude Bellingham return to England after his star turn at the Qatar World Cup, admitting to talkSPORT (7 December, 10.40am) that he hopes to see Liverpool win the race for the Borussia Dortmund wonderkid.
Presuming Bellingham is on his way out of Borussia Dortmund next summer, the potential availability of arguably the game’s finest young midfielder feels like the footballing equivalent of dropping a rare steak into an ocean chock-full of ravenous sharks.
With Liverpool, Manchester City, Paris Saint-Germain Real Madrid and Chelsea all in the discussion, this promises to be a feeding frenzy of epic promotions; every European giant worth their salt circling, smelling blood and ready to sink their teeth into a genuinely generation-defining talent.
Jude Bellingham may have to choose between Liverpool, Manchester City and PSG
“I think he should go to Liverpool, that’s my view,” former Crystal Palace chairman Jordan says of the 19-going-on-29-year-old; Bellingham already the beating heart of Gareth Southgate’s England side.
“I don’t think he ends up at PSG. I think he either ends up in Spain or in England. I’d like to think it’s England because we’ve produced this talent. I think there are more compelling leagues than the French league for him to play in.
“If he wants to go and play for the Harlem Globetrotters of PSG, I think that’s one thing.
“I think if he wants to go and play significant football week-in, week-out, I think the Premier League or La Liga are the two destinations I would advocate for him.”
‘And that would be Manchester City’
Liverpool, per The Athletic, have identified Bellingham as their number one midfield target for 2023. Jordan, however, feels a potential nine-figure price-tag could rule Jurgen Klopp’s side out of the equation; Liverpool’s North West neighbours perhaps a more likely destination given the sort of figures Dortmund are demanding.
“They’re now talking about this deal being done for between £100 and £150 million, which is ridiculous money,” Jordan adds. “I’m amazed that they’re in this scale of things, but clearly they are.
“That might well exclude and preclude Liverpool from the equation. If you’re getting into £150 million, there’s probably one club that would be prepared to pay that.
“And that would be Manchester City.”
Bellingham will be one of the first names on Southgate’s team-sheet during England’s World Cup quarter-final clash with France this weekend, following up that soaring header against Iran with a sumptuous assist in the round-of-16 victory over Senegal.
Liverpool, meanwhile, are also keeping tabs on Brighton’s £70 million-rated Ecuadorian Moises Caicedo. Morocco enforcer Sofyan Amrabat is another option.
Receive exclusive football transfer news and updates twice a week to your mailbox
