Real Madrid are reported to privately believe Jude Bellingham is destined for the Premier League, handing hope to Liverpool after a difficult weekend on the pitch.
The Spanish giants are invested in bringing England midfielder Bellingham to the Bernabeu as they continue looking to build for the years ahead. While Luka Modric and Toni Kroos are both in their 30s, the arrival of younger stars including Aurelien Tchouameni and Eduardo Camavinga has been designed to set them up for the future.
If a Premier League switch is Bellingham's destiny, it will be a boost to a Liverpool side at serious risk of missing out on European football after a weekend loss at Wolves. However, they could yet face competition from domestic rivals Manchester City.
According to The Athletic, Real Madrid have been exploring a deal for Bellingham for a number of months. However, they are said to have accepted they would be unable to match the kind of financial offer which their rivals in England are capable of.
Money is not the be all and end all, though, as shown by Bellingham's initial move to Dortmund from Birmingham City in 2020. It has been reported that Manchester United offered twice as much as other potential suitors, only for the midfielder to decide on a move to Germany.
"They were offering much more compared to the rest, twice as much," former Birmingham City chief executive Dong Ren told Mundo Deportivo. "He was guaranteed millions, but he didn’t take it. That's unusual for any player."
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Bellingham is already enjoying his best season in front of goal for Dortmund, and scored his 10th goal in all competitions this term during a January victory over Augsburg. He also rose to become part of the club's leadership group this season, and has captained Edin Terzic's side on three occasions.
After back-to-back defeats before the World Cup, the Schwarzgelben have won their last four league games to reignite their title challenge. They sit just three points behind league leaders Bayern Munich, with Union Berlin in between the two rivals.
While Dortmund were already likely to demand a hefty transfer fee for Bellingham, Chelsea's recent move for Enzo Fernandez appears to have ensured no buyer will receive a discount. The Blues broke the British transfer record to sign Argentina star Fernandez on deadline day, and another £100m+ fee is likely to be needed for the England star.
One thing Real Madrid should be able to offer, and which Liverpool might not be able to, is immediate Champions League football. Los Blancos remain second in Spain despite a weekend defeat to Mallorca, while Liverpool - who face them in the last 16 of this season's Champions League - are down in 10th in England.
