Tony Bellew has claimed he knew of Liverpool's interest in Jude Bellingham 'three years ago' through association with Birmingham City’s Technical Director, Craig Gardner.
The Reds' long-standing interest in Bellingham has become common knowledge in recent months, with the 19-year-old's world-class performances for England at the World Cup attracting almost every major club on the continent and setting him on course to be the most in-demand player in the world next summer.
Despite the emergence of a new interested party with each day - the latest being Paris Saint-Germain - Jurgen Klopp's side are considered front-runners in the latest round of reports. Reds duo Jordan Henderson and Trent Alexander-Arnold have been doing their bit as they've spent a lot of time with Bellingham while out in Qatar.
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Liverpool have held an interest in Bellingham for some time, but Bellew has shed some light on the incredible length of interest coming from those in charge at Anfield. The former cruiserweight world champion - and lifelong Everton fan - admitted on the No Tippy Tappy Football Podcast that he had spoken to Gardner when Bellingham was still a 16-year-old in the midlands.
“I’m good friends with Craig Gardner who is a part of the staff at Birmingham now, and he said to me years ago ‘there’s a kid here, and Liverpool want him, United want him, but he’s going to go to Germany," Bellew said. "He’s the best youngster I’ve seen in my life, trust me, he is unbelievable.’ He told me his name was Jude Bellingham and that he was going to Germany for his development.
“I don’t know if he turned them down, but I know they all wanted him, Liverpool wanted him and all of that. I don’t know how it works, but I have friends who are agents and I’m not sure if they told him to go to Germany because they knew they’d get a big deal for him on the way back through. Fair play to Craig because he told me how good he is and this was three years ago. He said he was frighteningly good, Craig Gardner knows his football, he’s been around the block.”
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