Former Liverpool striker Peter Crouch thinks there’s virtually no chance of his old club signing Jude Bellingham.
The Reds have installed the 19-year-old as their top transfer target for the summer window. But speaking to BT Sport after last night’s defeat to Real Madrid, Crouch admitted he doesn’t think Liverpool will spend £100m+ on the 19-year-old.
“I don’t feel like they are ever going to go out and spend £100 million on a top player. Jude Bellingham is a player who of course you would love to have, but I don’t think they’ll ever do that,” said the 42-year-old.
Time to dust off the chequebook for Liverpool
Judging on past performance in the transfer market, you’d have to say that Crouch is right. Liverpool have never been a team to splurge £100m on a single player. It has never felt possible.
But having put so much stock into sign Bellingham, they’re now going to have to. To fail to land the Borussia Dortmund man after so publicly courting him for so long would cause unrest amongst the fan base.
Not only would it leave the Reds without their top target, it would also mean they’d have to find a new top target. As was evidenced against Madrid again last night, they need someone world-class to transform the midfield. That doesn’t come cheap these days.
Bellingham is the ideal candidate but without him, you’d think Liverpool would have to go for a Declan Rice type signing. Whoever it is, they’re going to cost. FSG will have to dust off the old chequebook.
From our point of view, Liverpool are willing to pay the required fee for Bellingham. Having seemingly put so much effort into convincing the player to join them, it would be strange to baulk at the price-tag now.
The simple truth is that if they don’t pay it, then someone else will. Right now, that someone else would look like being Real Madrid. Allowing Los Blancos to get the better of them on and off the pitch yet again would be another sign that Liverpool’s time as an elite club is under serious threat. It’s time to get serious.