Ian Wright does not believe that Liverpool will be able to convince Jude Bellingham to sign for the club and thinks that Jurgen Klopp’s side find themselves in a “precarious postion”.
Bellingham has been linked with a move away from Borussia Dortmund after beginning the season in excellent form and establishing himself as one of Europe’s most coveted young midfielders.
The 19-year-old has been connected with Liverpool, who are seeking long-term solutions in a midfield struggling for fitness and form during a tough start to their Premier League campaign.
Wright has warned the club that they must overcome a “transitional period” and finish in the top four to have any hope of persuading Bellingham to join them ahead of other, more successful suitors.
“Liverpool are now in a very precarious position,” Wright said on The Kelly and Wright Show. “Which is why I want Liverpool to just focus on getting the top four because that still gives them Champions League football and the attraction of bringing the top players in.
“They need to get in the Champions League to even have a thought about approaching Jude Bellingham. Their focus has to be on getting into the top four.
“He’s been linked with Real Madrid, that’s the level he’s at. He could go to literally any club in the world. But we’re looking at a Liverpool team in a transitional period.
“How are you going to be able to entice him against Manchester City and Real Madrid who can both say ‘look at who we’ve got’?. They both could dominate for the next 10 years.
“The problem for Liverpool is that Jude Bellingham has the pick of the greatest [teams in the world] at the moment. How do you sell Liverpool to him?
“You’re going to need other players alongside him so you can say, ‘we’re going to get back to that level’.”
Liverpool have won only two of their eight league games so far this season, and trail Arsenal, who top the Premier League table, by 14 points.
Bellingham joined Borussia Dortmund in 2020 after breaking into the Birmingham City first team as a 16-year-old.
The England midfielder could reportedly be available to interested clubs next summer, and is expected to be a target for many of the Premier League’s leading clubs.
