John Barnes appeared to suggest that Liverpool could still potentially snap up Jude Bellingham for a significantly lower fee than the £131.6m quoted.
According to The Athletic, the England international will be valued at the aforementioned price should he desire a move away from Germany in the summer of 2023, though the ex-England international has suggested Borussia Dortmund could be prepared to take £70-80m.
“If you’re prepared to pay it, you’re worth what someone is prepared to pay,” the former Red told BonusCodeBets (via the Echo).
“If you have to pay £80m you pay £80m, or you pay £60m. It won’t be £130m.
“That’s what they’re talking about but of course when you’re looking at Dortmund and what they sell players for, of course they try and say that he’s £130m.
“They may say they want £200m and take £70/£80m, we don’t know. But in terms of being up there around the mark of one of the most expensive players then yes he is absolutely worth it.”
A discount worth in the region of £50-60m would offer a massive boost to the Merseysiders’ chances of beating their domestic and European rivals to the 19-year-old’s signature.
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With the aid of a positive experience in Qatar, there’s every chance that Bellingham’s value could be catapulted beyond the £130m mark – particularly with the security of two years remaining on his contract next year.
Knowing the miracles our recruitment have worked historically, it’s entirely possible that fee (whatever it is in 2023) can be negotiated down, though a potential bidding war will hand the advantage over to the Bundesliga title hopefuls.
Whatever the case, we’d like to think that Liverpool wouldn’t balk at a figure potentially in excess of £100m given the calibre of the player potentially up for grabs.