Jurgen Klopp is said to be in “100 percent” agreement with the club’s reported decision to remove themselves from talks for Jude Bellingham.
Liverpool briefed local journalists on Tuesday that they have stepped away from the chance to sign the Dortmund midfielder, prompting an angry response from fans online.
Paul Joyce of the Times was one of a number of reporters to cover the news, with the club now instead choosing to focus their attention elsewhere.
Joyce wrote that the 19-year-old was “understood to be enamoured by Liverpool’s long-standing interest,” but it appears that the money that would have been involved in completing a deal became too much to sanction.
It is claimed, though, that it was not just the money men in Fenway Sports Group that led the decision.
Chris Bascombe reported in the Telegraph that Klopp was “fully on board” with the outcome, with Sky Germany‘s Florian Plettenberg tweeting that the manager was “100 percent involved.”
News #LFC: Still on the shortlist and being discussed with #Klopp confirmed: Rice, Caicedo, Barella, Gravenberch and Nunes. Klopp 100 % involved in the decision not to buy #Bellingham. Decision was taken with the owners. @SkySportDE ??????? pic.twitter.com/IzDthesnAV
— Florian Plettenberg (@Plettigoal) April 12, 2023
Plettenberg listed Declan Rice, Moises Caicedo, Nicolo Barella, Ryan Gravenberch and Matheus Nunes as potential other options for the summer.
GOAL‘s Neil Jones, meanwhile, added Salzburg’s Luka Sucic as a player who is “admired,” and Bascombe reiterates interest in Chelsea duo Mason Mount and Conor Gallagher.
If true, the story comes as a blow to Liverpool fans, with the generational nature of Bellingham’s talent and his purported interest in joining the Reds looking to be a significant opportunity missed when it comes to rebuilding the midfield.
The news broke a matter of hours after journalist Jan Aage Fjortoft suggested that the Reds had sent a bid to Dortmund, claiming “the roulette is open” in a Twitter post.
Re: Jude Bellingham
Just to confirm the report earlier today.
Liverpool have sent an offer to Dortmund!
The roulette is open
— Jan Aage Fjørtoft ???? ?? ?? (@JanAageFjortoft) April 11, 2023
Bellingham’s next move remains to be seen, but for now it looks like Liverpool have taken themselves out of the running to sign one of Europe’s hottest prospects.
That is, at least publicly, with there every chance this is a negotiation tactic.
With or without Bellingham, the latest reports suggest that Liverpool will look to recruit at least two or three new midfielders in the upcoming window.
As Joyce reports, those signings are hoped to be in “as soon as the transfer window opens,” with any pursuit of Dortmund’s No. 22 likely to be a “drawn-out saga.”
Andy Hunter of the Guardian adds that “Klopp has told the club’s owners to move swiftly on transfer deals.”