Jude Bellingham has confirmed that he’ll be a Borussia Dortmund player next season, despite links to Liverpool.
In an interview with Ruhr Nachrichten, Bellingham suggests that he won’t be one of the players joining Liverpool this summer.
“The only future I think of is the next game for Dortmund,” said the 18-year-old. “I’m really looking forward to next season. I can’t wait for it to finally start. But yes, I’ll be here next season, and I’ll be ready.”
That’s a pretty definitive statement from a young man who seems to know exactly what he wants from his career.
Bellingham speculation set to continue
Bellingham’s statement is unlikely to dampen speculation about his future.
Sport Bild had already previously reported that any move for the teenager was likely to come in the summer of 2023.
When next year does roll around, Liverpool are one of the clubs who could reportedly be at the front of the queue.
By this time next year Bellingham will have more Champions League and Bundesliga experience as well as a probable World Cup under his belt.
Those things, and the fact that he will still be yet to turn twenty, will make him an incredibly attractive signing for many clubs.
Liverpool slowly rebuilding in midfield
Liverpool are reportedly ready to revamp their midfield over the coming transfer windows. Links to Monaco midfielder Aurelien Tchouameni seem to suggest that he could be one of the players joining Liverpool this summer.
Even if Tchouameni does sign, there’s no reason that Liverpool couldn’t supplement him with Bellingham a year later.
The French enforcer is three years older than the Englisman, but is still just twenty-two. Of Liverpool’s four regular starting midfielders, Fabinho is twenty-eight, Jordan Henderson will soon be thirty-two, Thiago is thirty-one and Naby Keita is twenty-seven.
In reserve are youngsters Curtis Jones and Harvey Elliott. But the pair may not quite be ready to take on first-choice roles.
Tchouameni and Bellingham certainly are. If Liverpool can secure one and then the other in consecutive summers, they can slowly phase out their options and build a tremendously exciting future with one of the best squads in the world.
For now though, we’ll have to watch Bellingham’s talents from afar for a little while longer at least.
Receive a digest of our best Liverpool content each week direct to your mailbox
