Liverpool have cooled their pursuit of and will explore alternative midfield options due to the scale of the rebuild required at Anfield, according to reports.
The international is expected to leave this summer for what will likely be a club-record sale for the German club, and for a long time Liverpool had been considered the frontrunners for his signature.
Bellingham – who is also wanted by the likes of , Real Madrid and Chelsea – is close with Three Lions team-mates Trent Alexander-Arnold and Jordan Henderson, while he idolised Anfield legend Steven Gerrard growing up.
Unusually for Jurgen Klopp, the Liverpool boss has spoken openly and glowingly about Bellingham in the past and there had been rumblings in Germany this week that the Merseysiders had submitted a first offer to Dortmund.
But now are reporting that Liverpool are set to begrudgingly rule themselves out of the race to sign Bellingham and are cooling their interest.
The side have struggled enormously this season and will end the campaign trophyless, while they are currently sat in eighth place in the Premier League table – 12 points adrift of the top four – and facing a battle just to qualify for Europe.
A number of players are likely to leave in the summer – Roberto Firmino, Naby Keita and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain are among the players who will become free agents – and there is a growing feeling that a massive rebuild is required.
That means Liverpool cannot stump up a transfer fee in excess of £100million for Bellingham, with any deal likely to greatly exceed that figure when wages and fees are factored in too.
Instead of committing such an enormous chunk of their budget into one player, they will channel their funds into multiple new additions with Klopp keen to bring in at least two new midfielders this summer.
Focusing on Bellingham is no longer regarded as the best strategy by the club’s decision makers, with Chelsea contract rebel Mason Mount now emerging as their primary target.
The 24-year-old is likely to be available for a cut-price fee – around a third of what Bellingham would cost – and would allow Liverpool to also bring in another midfielder, with Bayern Munich’s Ryan Gravenberch, Brighton duo Moises Caicedo and Alexis Mac Allister and Wolves’ Matheus Nunes all on their radar.
Liverpool’s decision to pull out of the running to sign Bellingham could be a massive boost for Manchester United, – and even feels he could be a future captain at Old Trafford.
Real Madrid are also interested, though are unlikely to be able to match the financial power of the Premier League, while Bellingham is thought to prefer a return to England. Champions Manchester City are also interested.
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