Jamie Carragher reckons shelved plans for Liverpool to target Jude Bellingham when the market reopens is down to uncharacteristically poor planning from manager Jurgen Klopp.
As reported by the ECHO this month, the Reds will side-step Borussia Dortmund midfielder Bellingham with revised plans to make two or three additions to their engine room instead. Mason Mount, Nicolo Barella and Moises Caicedo are among countless names being mooted as potential alternatives.
Although it is a decision that has been made with finances in mind, Carragher says Liverpool could afford to purchase Bellingham if Klopp and important figures behind the scenes had foreseen issues which have arisen within the squad this season.
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When it was claimed by Gary Neville on The Overlap that Carragher was disappointed by FSG after their U-turn with Bellingham, he replied: "No, no. I was disappointed by Klopp.
"Liverpool did not buy a midfield player last summer. As a fan-base, we were waiting for Bellingham.
"It wasn't said in public, but we know in Liverpool circles we were waiting for the right one. Liverpool didn't exactly throw this season away, but they're short in midfield and we accepted that because they have done that before; they did it with [Virgil] van Dijk and Alisson the goalkeeper.
"So then three quarters into the season you say we are not going to go for Bellingham. It's not because the finances [aren't there]. If Klopp wants to sign Bellingham he can sign Jude Bellingham if he wants to come."
Carragher, 45, added: "I accept we haven't got the money of Man City, Chelsea or at Manchester United, but what we have got is people who know what they are doing. Chelsea have spent loads of money and haven't got a clue what they are doing.
"In an ideal world I would want loads of money, but I would still want what they are doing in terms of that decision making, expertise. The idea of every owner is not spending loads of money, it's making the correct decisions and when you need to spend money, you do it.
"With the piece you [Neville] mention about me being critical, I was as critical about Jurgen Klopp and their staff with this [Bellingham] because this is a planning problem. You go from thinking you need one player to actually needing three or four.
"You then miss out on this marquee player. We know we are not Chelsea or United, but every now and then you just have to go 'bumph' and buy a top player to send a message to everyone else. Bellingham is probably the best young player out there right now."
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