Jurgen Klopp and his recruitment team will be under no illusions as to the magnitude of the challenge that awaits them in the summer window should they commit to negotiations with Borussia Dortmund over the future of Jude Bellingham.
Still, if one report from Spanish-based outlet Marca is to be believed, that task will be made somewhat easier by the German outfit’s alleged asking price of around £87.6m for the teenager – a ginormous drop (£44m, to be precise) from the £131.6m figure previously raised by The Athletic.
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The publication go on to claim that the German tactician was ‘hurt’ by Aurelien Tchouameni’s decision to opt for a move to Madrid over the Merseysiders in the prior window.
There’s no questioning the fact that a sizeable chunk of our struggles this term may have been avoided had we agreed a transfer for a top midfielder.
With the former Monaco man favouring a switch to the Spanish capital and reported bids for Bellingham and Federico Valverde unsuccessful, however, we’ve simply had to make do with the options available, of which are far from lacking in quality.
Regardless of whether or not the La Liga giants are feeling confident the Englishman’s move to the Bernabeu is a formality, we absolutely shouldn’t be ruling ourselves out of the race – particularly if the reported price-tag is vaguely accurate.