Liverpool have abandoned their plans to sign Jude Bellingham this summer due to the costs involved and have drawn up a shortlist of alternative midfielders to sign.
The Reds have been credited with an interest in Bellingham on a number of occasions in the past, with Jurgen Klopp a self-confessed admirer of the midfield ace. However, with a transfer fee for the England international set to go north of £100million – the club are now set to diversify.
It is Real Madrid who have emerged as the frontrunner for the signature of the teenage star and the Spanish giants went so far as to hold a transfer meeting with Bellingham’s father Mark in London ahead of Dortmund’s Champions League clash at Chelsea last month.
Klopp has admitted things need to change at the Reds and is eyeing a summer revamp of the squad, with a particular focus on their ageing midfield. There are likely to be several reinforcements in that position.
For the Reds, it is Chelsea’s Mason Mount who now heads their priority list for a summer transfer. The 24-year-old has less than 15 months left on his current deal at Stamford Bridge.
The England international is not currently one of the top 20 paid players at Chelsea and with multiple attacking arrivals at the West London club across the past two transfer windows, his future has come into question. Talks over a contract extension have stalled.
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But Mount is not the only Chelsea midfielder who is on the Reds radar, as they are also monitoring Conor Gallagher . The Blues are desperate to balance their books after recording debts over £1billion, and selling homegrown stars such as Mount and Gallagher would be the fastest and easiest way for the club to solve those issues.
Liverpool are also looking at a duo from Brighton with Seagulls duo Alexis MacAllister and Moises Caicedo both being considered. Each of the players has starred for club and country this season – they are proven Premier League quality but will both be valued at a premium.
Another Premier League import on their radar is Wolves midfielder ace Matheus Nunes , who would also come at a cost but could follow the same path of Diogo Jota in the summer of 2020. Meanwhile, one player who would not cost a transfer fee is Youri Tielemans , who is out of contract at Leicester this summer.
The only non-England-based player is Ryan Gravenberch , who joined Bayern Munich from Ajax a year ago as a free agent, but who has struggled to force his way into the German side’s starting line-up – meaning he could be available as a low-cost option.
