Graeme Souness believes Liverpool have made the right choice in choosing not to 'blow' their transfer budget on Jude Bellingham this summer.
The Borussia Dortmund midfielder was known to be Jurgen Klopp's top target heading into the summer, but news hit on Tuesday night of the Reds withdrawing from the race.
Liverpool decided to redraw their plans for the summer after realising they need more than just Bellingham. Jurgen Klopp's side have suffered this season for the lack of investment in the squad and that will be addressed.
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Klopp desperately needs to make additions to his midfield in the summer with two or three new faces needed, but poor defensive displays have also brought questions about his current centre halves.
"I have never felt that Liverpool would get Jude Bellingham to the club this summer," Souness told the Daily Mail. "The idea of them pushing the boat out that far for one player didn’t seem logical, given that they need more than one midfield player, in my opinion. And then you have to factor in that the club is up for sale, with the American owners either looking for an investor or a buy-out.
"It will cost north of £100million to buy Bellingham from Borussia Dortmund, which is a lot of money for the potential in a 19-year-old. Liverpool aren’t the only club in the market. Real Madrid have a 37-year-old Luka Modric and a 33-year-old Toni Kroos in their midfield. From the outside looking in, that’s who Liverpool will be competing with for Bellingham’s signature.
"From 2018, Liverpool had a golden period of buying players who turned up and performed immediately. Banking £142m from Barcelona for Philippe Coutinho, buying Alisson and Virgil van Dijk and still getting a £40m chunk of change was possibly the best bit of business in the Premier League's history.
"Can they do the same again? Well, they still have a transfer committee which oversees the purchase of the players they look to bring in. And Jurgen Klopp will still have the final say. They must make some smart moves and will require some of that commodity which everyone needs in football: a large slice of luck."
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