Former Liverpool goalkeeper David James has explained why his old club would be securing themselves an 'exceptional' talent if they were to sign Jude Bellingham.
Bellingham has long been the subject of speculation surrounding his future at Borussia Dortmund with Liverpool among his potential suitors. It's understood that the 19-year-old, who is someone widely admired among the people who matter where recruitment is concerned at Anfield, is valued in excess of £100m.
Bellingham is considered one of the hottest prospects in football, having joined BVB from Birmingham City in the summer of 2020. He went on to enjoy a fine debut season at the Westfalenstadion, which he has continued to build on during his second and third campaigns at the club.
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Manchester City have also been linked with a move for the midfielder, and their boss, Pep Guardiola, was full of praise for Bellingham after he scored in Dortmund’s 2-1 defeat at the Etihad Stadium a couple of weeks ago. And speaking ahead of that game, the player himself insisted he remains happy at Dortmund and played down the potential of a Premier League transfer.
Bellingham said: "First of all, I'm here to help Borussia Dortmund win the game. If I can play well and showcase my talents, it is a bonus.
“But I'm here to win for Borussia Dortmund and I'm very happy here at the minute and I'm focused on all of the goals we have as a team and I'm not looking past that.
"The club have done loads for me and made me feel very welcome since I first came and gave me the opportunities to develop even further. To look past that and into the future would be disrespectful.
"It's not something I am thinking about, to be honest. It's a massive game against Man City. To even be thinking about something like that would be crazy."
However, Bellingham’s words haven’t stopped him from being linked with a move to Anfield over the past week, and James, speaking exclusively to the ECHO, believes the youngster is the type of character that Liverpool would want to bring into their squad.
He said: “Yes, well I say all out for, Jude Bellingham as a player is exceptional, given his age and everything. He’s an exceptional talent.
“But more importantly, having done an interview with him once, as a character he is fantastic. I think again, the idea of just seeing someone’s player status and performances on a football pitch, via video or whatever, you want to know what the person is like.
“From my experience with Jude Bellingham, he is the type of character that you want to bring into the Liverpool squad. Then you add his ability and you have got in a way a double power. But I’m not here to say that Liverpool need to lose a player and replace him with Jude Bellingham.
“I think with the quality of the squad and the quality of the coaching staff, Liverpool have already got a side that is capable of competing, but if they can add to that, all well and good.”
Liverpool secured their fourth and final signing of the summer on deadline day as Arthur Melo arrived at Anfield. The Reds have an option to make the deal permanent for £32m once the midfielder's loan finishes.
The late deal capped off what proved to be a busy summer of business for Liverpool which saw the departure of Sadio Mane, and the arrivals of Darwin Nunez, Calvin Ramsay and Fabio Carvalho.
However, some supporters questioned why the club failed to make a move for a midfielder earlier. But James believes once the Reds’ injured players start to return and results pick up, no fan will be asking that question, and claimed that Klopp and his coaching staff are much better suited to improving what they have got in their squad.
“I would argue Jurgen and his backroom team's strength is not acquisition primarily, but it is improving what they have got,” he said. “I think, as I say, when you look at the injury list, a lot of this is because of arguably pre-season and the start of the season, and excuse the pun, but you are kind of hamstrung in a sense.
“I think these players will get fit and will improve. The question of whether they should have bought someone in will become neglected.
“Obviously with Nunez, there is a position to fill with Mane going, but other than that, you are relying on a strength which has been very good for Liverpool which is improvement rather than replacement.”
David James was speaking to the ECHO at an event held by SC Johnson, Liverpool and the LFC Foundation at Anfield. The event was part of SCJ and LFC’s ongoing 'Goals for Change' partnership, and saw 400 Merseyside school children take part in educational activities that seek to improve sustainability and recycling practices, delivered via charity Ocean Generation’s 'Ocean Academy'.
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