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Liverpool Echo
Liverpool Echo
Sport
Mark Wakefield

Jude Bellingham transfer alternative emerges as Chelsea 'make offer' for player Liverpool wanted

Here are your Liverpool morning headlines for Wednesday, June 29.

Liverpool could sign ideal Jude Bellingham alternative for fraction of the price

Liverpool may be adamant that they are not going to make any further signings this summer but that does not mean that they are not planning for the transfer windows of the future. Far from it, writes Andrew Beasley.

They need to have their plans in place so they can be ready to make a move when the time is right. We saw that in January, when Tottenham Hotspur’s interest in Luis Diaz prompted the Reds to sign the Colombian sooner than they likely otherwise would have.

Opportunities can present themselves in the market which are too good to turn down. If a talented young player refuses to extend his contract and becomes available at minimal expense, it would be remiss of Liverpool not to at least consider the possibility of bringing the starlet aboard.

READ MORE: Forward Liverpool squad begged Jurgen Klopp to sign was right transfer at wrong time

READ MORE: Jurgen Klopp set for closer look at 'next Luka Modric' despite Liverpool transfer warning

There may be a degree of this occurring with Aston Villa’s midfielder Carney Chukwuemeka. Back in November, it was reported that the teenager had decided to not sign a new deal , which supposedly piqued the Reds’ interest. The rumour has not sunk without trace either, as this week he has again been linked with a move to Anfield .

As Chukwuemeka’s experience of senior football has so far been limited to 433 minutes, it feels too soon for him to be making a move to Liverpool (assuming he is a player in whom they are interested). However, when he is out of contract next summer, he should have accumulated far more playing time and will have a greater body of work which the Reds’ analysts can assess.

If rumours are correct, Liverpool might be aiming to sign Jude Bellingham in 2023, a midfielder who would reportedly be ‘ more than interested ’ in joining the club. Other clubs will no doubt be keen to sign the England international too, though, so there’s certainly no guarantee that the Reds would be able to complete the deal.

Could Chukwuemeka be a realistic alternate option to Bellingham? It’s too early to say, in truth, but it is worth investigating how the young Villa player compares to his Borussia Dortmund counterpart in areas in which the latter is particularly strong.

READ THE FULL STORY HERE .

Chelsea 'make offer' for player Jurgen Klopp wanted

Former Jurgen Klopp Liverpool transfer target Ousmane Dembele has been offered a contract by Chelsea, according to a report.

French outlet L’Equipe is reporting that Thomas Tuchel’s side have made an offer worth £287,000 a week for the Barcelona winger, who has again been linked with Liverpool. Chelsea are looking to reshape their squad following the club's takeover by the Todd Boehly-Clearlake Capital consortium. They are also set to sign Raheem Sterling and rumoured Liverpool target Raphinha .

Dembele, a French international, joined Barcelona from Borussia Dortmund for €145m in 2017. He is set to leave the Catalan club once his contract expires at the end of June. Reports in Spain emerged that Barca manager Xavi was desperate to keep the 25-year-old. Dembele’s time at Camp Nou has been hampered by injuries, scoring 32 goals in 150 appearances over five seasons.

Over recent months the Reds have also been credited with an interest in the player but the ECHO understands that wasn’t genuine. Dembele is someone, though, that the club has looked at over the years. According to Four Four Two, Liverpool tried to bring Dembele to Anfield back in 2016 after a breakout season for Rennes, but he chose Dortmund instead, where he excelled.

And Klopp has expressed his admiration for the 27-time French international before. In a press conference following a 1-0 defeat to Chelsea on the penultimate weekend of the 2017/18 Premier League season, the German jokingly admitted his interest.

READ THE FULL STORY HERE .

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