Liverpool receive huge triple boost in Jude Bellingham chase with decision date set and transfer fee hinted

A wildly encouraging update has provided Liverpool with a triple boost in their pursuit of Jude Bellingham who looks destined to set a new British transfer record.

Despite a recent resurgence, the current campaign has by and large been a disappointing one for Liverpool. The likes of Fabinho and Jordan Henderson were back to their best in the 7-0 thumping of Man Utd. However, they’ve been well below their usual standards when judging the season as a whole.

A midfield overhaul is expected over the summer, not least because at least three players will depart.

Arthur Melo’s loan from Juventus contains an option to buy, though it won’t be activated. Fabrizio Romano recently reported there’s no new deals in the works for Naby Keita and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain who’ll both be out of contract in June.

James Milner is another who could leave, with the 37-year-old’s deal up in summer too.

Topping Liverpool’s wishlist of midfield replacements is Borussia Dortmund and England ace, Jude Bellingham.

The 19-year-old is being courted by Liverpool, Man City and Real Madrid. Chelsea and Man Utd like what they’ve seen too, though speaking exclusively to TEAMtalk, reporter Ben Jacobs stressed they’re rank outsiders.

Now, an encouraging update from talkSPORT has shed new light on who’ll win the Bellingham sweepstakes.

Bellingham decision coming; Liverpool receive triple boost

Firstly, they report Bellingham is primed to make a decision on his future after the next international break which is scheduled for late-March.

talkSPORT confirm Foot Mercato’s claim Bellingham’s father met with officials from Real Madrid on Tuesday night. The Bellinghams were in England for Dortmund’s Champions League clash with Chelsea and a meeting took place in London.

However, the fact Bellingham will cost such an astronomical sum will actually work against Real Madrid and in Liverpool’s favour.

Indeed, Dortmund will reportedly demand at least the £106.8m Chelsea paid to sign Enzo Fernandez in a British transfer record last month. If the German giant get their way, they’ll push for around £125m – the same figure they sold Ousmane Dembele to Barcelona for in 2017.

While such a lofty sum will make Liverpool owners FSG wince, it may rid themselves of the Real Madrid problem. The financial might of the Premier League could prove decisive in this instance.

The second positive for Liverpool comes in the claim Bellingham is enticed by the prospect of working with Jurgen Klopp. Despite a rocky season, the German won’t be leaving Liverpool any time soon and he’s clearly still held in extremely high regard by those within the game.

Finally, talkSPORT echo recent speculation Liverpool missing out on UCL next season won’t torpedo their move.

Having Europe’s premier competition on offer would obviously aid their cause, though if they miss out, it won’t be a deal-breaker, per the report.

One option that could be available to Bellingham is the idea of signing a new deal at Dortmund for a greatly increased salary.

The idea there would be he remains in Germany for an extra season and is well-rewarded financially for his loyalty.

However, any such deal would come with the inclusion of a release clause slightly below his true value ahead of a summer exit in 2024.

That route would be Liverpool’s worst nightmare for two reasons. Firstly, they’d have to wait an extra 12 months to address a problem position. Secondly, the reduced release clause fee would bring Real Madrid back into the mix.

But for the time being at least, the signs for Liverpool are positive and if talkSPORT are correct, the Reds should know exactly where they stand soon after the international break later this month.

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