Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp is set to rival Manchester City in the race for England star Kalvin Phillips - but Michael Owen believes that Phillips' Three Lions teammates, Jude Bellingham and Declan Rice, are in a league of their own.
The Mirror revealed on Sunday that Klopp is plotting a surprise move for Leeds' midfield man Phillips. The 26-year-old is also being courted by Manchester City, but the Reds are set to fight against their Premier League rivals in the race to snare the Whites star.
However, Owen's comments prior to England's shock 1-0 defeat against Hungary in Saturday's Nations League opener suggest that he reckons his old club may have set their sights on the wrong English midfielder this summer.
Speaking before the match, Owen gave Bellingham a glowing endorsement. The 18-year-old has dazzled since joining Borussia Dortmund - and Owen even believes that the talented teenager has the scope to develop into "one of the very best" players that England have ever developed.
The former Liverpool and Manchester United striker told Channel Four: "I think Phillips and Rice have been sitting midfielders in some of the tougher games, but I think this lad is a little bit more adventurous, he's a better passer, can probably score more goals, talk about exciting players.
"Only 18 and he's got the physique, he's got the ability and we could be looking at a mainstay for many, many years. Not just a mainstay but one of the very best we've developed."
Owen also lauded Rice - Phillips' usual international midfield partner - ahead of the match. And the ex-England star even compared the coveted West Ham man to Reds legend Steven Gerrard.
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Speaking about Rice, Owen added: "That central midfield role is one of the most disciplined. I played with one of the very best in Steven Gerrard. He was actually a bit too good to sit there and be disciplined. It was a bit too exciting for him to see a chance to get forward. He was almost better than the central midfield role.
"[Rice] does show signs of a Steven Gerrard, big, powerful, long action, a brilliant passer of the ball. He's not just a central midfielder anymore. He breaks the game up so well, and now he's opening up and adding those long runs to his game, becoming an all-round player."
Liverpool are in the market for a central midfielder and are set to turn their attention to a domestic target after losing out to Real Madrid in the race for Monaco star Aurelien Tchouameni.
