The idea that it is Bellingham or bust for Liverpool is ridiculous. Sam McGuire explains why the club should add three new midfielders for the cost of the Dortmund teenager.
The implication during the summer transfer window was that Liverpool weren’t going to revamp their middle-third options, despite the glaring weaknesses, because Jude Bellingham wouldn’t be available to sign until 2023.
Every journalist following the Reds all seemed to suggest as much without actually going as far as to confirm it. For Liverpool to essentially opt out of a transfer window and risk an entire season, they must have been fairly confident a deal for the England international could be struck.
Yet recent reports suggest the 2019/20 Premier League champions are interested in Wolves midfielder Matheus Nunes and a deal could be struck this month for a move in the summer.
The Daily Mirror claim the Reds are going to be priced out of a move for Bellingham (now 4/1 to sign him in January) and that the former Sporting midfielder would be a much cheaper alternative.
This was always on the cards though, wasn’t it?
The Reds weren’t ever going to be in a position to spend £100million or more on a single player when the midfield needs something of a rebuild.
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That isn’t an exaggeration either. Naby Keita, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain and James Milner are all out of contract in the summer while Jordan Henderson, Thiago and Fabinho aren’t getting any younger and all three are prone to a spell on the sidelines.
There are still question marks over whether or not Curtis Jones and Harvey Elliott are central midfielders too. It is a contentious topic with the pair both failing to show the defensive nous required to solidify the midfield during transitions.
So, it is safe to say the midfield situation at Anfield was not a one-player fix. This is not a revelation either, it has been clear for all to see for some time now.
After all, the Reds have only added one senior midfielder to their ranks in the past four years. At some point, the lack of investment in that area of the pitch was going to catch up with them.
Liverpool have a finite budget. It will be an even more limited budget next summer if they fail to finish inside of the Premier League top four - something that looks like a real possibility.
Signing Bellingham is something you do when everything else is fine and you are looking to make a statement. The Reds have had opportunities in the past to make statement signings and opted against it. Now really isn’t the time to change that stance.
The truth is Jurgen Klopp’s side never needed Bellingham. They may have wanted him but the real need was for multiple midfielders. If reports are true and the 19-year-old is now too expensive for the Reds, it might be a blessing in disguise as they can finally move on from the idea and focus on other alternatives to bolster their midfield options. Something they have ignored for far too long.
It isn’t that much of a stretch to say Liverpool could add a Moises Caicedo, Matheus Nunes and a Manu Kone to their ranks for what it would’ve cost to bring Bellingham to the club.
That would be the smart play. That is the play that the club would’ve made in the past as they assembled a team capable of winning everything.
The idea that it is Bellingham or bust is ridiculous. It isn’t and never has been.
Liverpool’s objective in the summer doesn’t have to be to find an alternative to the former Birmingham City youngster, they should just look to bring in midfielders better than their current options. That isn’t exactly a small pool either.
