Jamie Carragher believes Jude Bellingham would transform Liverpool in the same way as Alisson Becker and Virgil van Dijk achieved following their arrivals in 2018.
Jurgen Klopp's side are in the market for a new midfielder and sitting firmly at the top of this list is Bellingham, a player with the world at his feet at only 19 years of age.
The Borussia Dortmund midfielder looks set to be at the centre of a transfer tussle involving Europe's elite, though the latest reports have suggested it is the Reds who are leading the race to secure his services.
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Should Liverpool become Bellingham's next destination, Klopp's side would have a leading figure in midfield for many years to come but must be prepared to break their transfer record to stand any chance of recruiting the teenager.
Adamant this is a move the Reds would not regret despite the extortionate fees expected to be involved, Carragher is of the view a £100m plus figure could end up being a bargain. Speaking exclusively to the ECHO, he said: “If Liverpool were to get Jude Bellingham over the line, I think it would be reminiscent of what Virgil van Dijk was. It could be a game-changer. Virgil van Dijk proved to be that and everyone is excited about just watching Jude Bellingham, no matter where he ends up. I’m sure every club would want him and whoever he signs for, he would be huge.
"The two big-money signings for Liverpool have been Alisson and Virgil van Dijk and they proved to be absolute masterstrokes, even though they were expensive. You look back at the fees Liverpool paid and they now look cheap. Whoever gets their hands on Jude Bellingham, it will be a big price but I think you will be looking back in five or six years and thinking it was a bargain.
“I don’t think anyone is going to sit back and let Jude Bellingham go to Liverpool easily," added Carragher on suggestions Bellingham appears to be Anfield-bound. "Everyone will be interested as he is a top player. It looks pretty certain he will be moving on from Borussia Dortmund but I wouldn’t get too carried away that it looks like he is going to Liverpool. Liverpool have to concentrate on what is going on right now and make themselves as big a proposition as they possibly can by getting Champions League football."
Bellingham's performances for England at the World Cup have been nothing short of exceptional, having played a starring role in each of the four games Gareth Southgate's men have contested in to date. His ability to dominate proceedings, both from a technical and physical perspective, at such a young age has led to the Birmingham City academy graduate being likened to Liverpool legend, Steven Gerrard.
Asked if he understands such comparisons after witnessing Bellingham light up the current tournament in Qatar, Carragher added: “He has the same physical profile as Stevie and plays the same sort of role of trying to get forward and score goals. He looks like he can do most things in midfield, and that was the same with Gerrard. If you’re thinking of the great English midfield players over the last 20 years, he does remind you more of a Steven Gerrard than a Paul Scholes, Frank Lampard or Bryan Robson."
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