Michail Antonio believes Liverpool know that Jude Bellingham is heading somewhere else other than Anfield this summer and that is the reason why they have therefore turned their attention to other midfield options.
Jurgen Klopp’s side had been long linked with a move for the England international but with the German’s squad in need of a major overhaul this summer he no longer believes it makes sense to spend over £100m on a single player.
The Telegraph have reported that the Reds have pulled out of the race for the 19-year-old’s signature because they ‘cannot afford’ to sign him and other midfielders in the same window but that is something the West Ham United forward is sceptical about.
“I’ll be honest, I feel they’re pulling out because they don’t feel like they’re gonna get him anyway,” Antonio said on the Footballer’s Football Podcast (via Rousing The Kop).
“I don’t think they’re pulling out because of wages; I don’t think they’re pulling out because of price.
“They’re pulling out because they believe that – [or] they’ve probably heard something – and they know that he’s going somewhere else.”
It certainly came as a surprise to most Liverpool supporters when news broke that we were no longer pursuing a deal for Bellingham.
He’d been linked with a move to Merseyside for over a year and he is a player that appears to have everything that’s required to shine in a red shirt.
He’s also struck up a great friendship with Trent Alexander-Arnold and Jordan Henderson in the last year or so but it’s believed that we’re now focussing on other targets instead.
More than one signing is required to help ensure we’re back competing on all four fronts this season and it’ll be interesting to see what sort of business we complete this summer.
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