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Liverpool Echo
Liverpool Echo
Sport
Matthew Holt

Steven Gerrard claim made as Premier League legend hails Jude Bellingham World Cup showings

Jude Bellingham has been likened to former Liverpool legend Steven Gerrard by a former Premier League midfielder.

Bellingham, 19, has been arguably England's standout performer so far in Qatar, as Gareth Southgate's men prepare to take on France in Saturday's quarter-final showdown. The Borussia Dortmund man has long been linked with a move to Merseyside, with some now suggesting the Reds are leading the way in their pursuit to sign him.

With the German club said to be holding out for a fee in excess of £100m, Jurgen Klopp's side are in desperate need of midfield reinforcements, none more so is evident than the signing of Arthur Melo from Juventus on loan in the summer.

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Bidding to land their man, Liverpool know they face stiff competition from Europe's leading sides, with Manchester City and Real Madrid also said to be sniffing around the Three Lions international. However, likened to Gerrard due to his play style, former Sky Blue midfielder Yaya Toure has since praised Bellingham for his sublime attacking threat.

“The goal (against Iran) reminds me of (Steven) Gerrard, (Frank) Lampard, (Paul) Scholes. Maybe more Scholes. Big players who smell a chance, see the gap in a defence and just go into it,” Toure began, speaking to The Athletic most recently.

“These types of players force opponents to not just worry about the forwards. They have to worry about Bellingham too, because his running from the second line is brilliant,'' he added. ''He doesn’t look 19. He looks like a player who has been playing at a high level for a long period. He’s going to be one of the best midfielders in the world and he’s showing his talent already.”

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