Liverpool are continuing to monitor Jude Bellingham's development with the Reds willing to wait until next summer to make a move for the 19-year-old.
Liverpool have signed three players so far this summer with Darwin Nunez, Fabio Carvalho and Calvin Ramsay all moving to Anfield ahead of the new season. The makeup of Jurgen Klopp's side has changed significantly with the departure of club legend Sadio Mane to Bayern Munich, whilst Takumi Minamino and Divock Origi have also left the club for AS Monaco and AC Milan respectively.
The Reds were pursuing a potential deal for Aurelien Tchouameni before the French midfielder opted for a move to Spanish giants Real Madrid, suggesting the club is in the transfer market for a midfielder. However, reports suggest that Liverpool are willing to wait until next summer to strengthen this position, with Borussia Dortmund's Bellingham seen as a top target.
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So, if the England international was to make the move to Liverpool next summer, what sort of impact could he have on Jurgen Klopp's side? Could the he help the club compete for the quadruple once again?
We simulated the 2023/24 season with Bellingham in the Reds' squad and this is what happened.
We 'signed' Jude Bellingham for Liverpool in 2023
To set up this simulation, we used the Football Manager 2022 editor to arrange for Bellingham to join Liverpool at the start of next year's summer transfer window, using FM22 to run the simulation. This is what his in-game profile looks like on FM22.
At just 19-years-old, Bellingham is one of the most talented midfielders in Europe and is classed as a 'wonderkid'. The England international has amazing technical, mental and physical attributes, excelling in terms of his Aggression (17), Anticipation (16), Bravery (18), Composure (16), Determination (18), Work Rate (17), Agility (16), Natural Fitness (16), Pace (16) and Stamina (17).
Bellingham has plenty of potential to improve but has all the assets to make him one of the most talented box-to-box central midfielders in Europe, and definitely a player that can fit into Klopp's pressing tactical system. The 19-year-old tends to get into the opposition penalty area and play one-twos with teammates, something that could see him take a similar role to that of Naby Keita in Liverpool's 4-3-3 formation.
In our 2023 simulation, Bellingham had a sensational debut season at Anfield scoring 16 goals and registering 11 assists in all competitions, finishing the season as the Reds' fourth top scorer and second-highest provider. The 19-year-old played a whopping 58 games throughout the season highlighting his importance to Klopp and the team, averaging a match rating of 7.54 which matched Luis Diaz's rating and was only bettered by Mohamed Salah (7.90).
Bellingham almost reached double figures for both goals and assists in the Premier League, scoring eight and assisting eight in his 36 appearances, suggesting that he has the quality to fit into Liverpool's midfield and be the standout performer. This was cemented by his eight goal contributions in 13 Champions League appearances, playing a key role in the Reds' European campaign.
At the end of the 2023/24 season, Football Manager 2022 put together an overall best Liverpool XI, based on performances, statistics and other metrics. This is what it looked like:
Full Liverpool best XI: (4-3-3): Alisson; Alexander-Arnold, Van Dijk, Konate, Robertson; Fabinho, Bellingham, Henderson; Salah, Diaz, Nunez.
Bellingham featured in Liverpool's best XI alongside Jordan Henderson and Fabinho in midfield. So, how did the Reds perform in the league and cup competitions? Let's take a look.
Liverpool's results from the 2023-24 simulation:
They finished the 2023/24 season as champions of England for a second time under Klopp, pipping rivals City to the title by four points. The Reds lost just three games in the entire season, finishing the campaign with the best attacking record (83 goals scored) and joint-best defensive record (31 goals conceded).
Liverpool had the longest winning streak out of any team in the English top-flight (13) along with the second-highest average possession percentage (59%), only behind Pep Guardiola's City who averaged 60% possession. Klopp's side had the most clean sheets (16), fewest shots against (301), most shots for (664) and most points per game (2.39) during their title-winning season.
In the cup competitions, the Reds completed a historic treble as they lifted both the Carabao Cup and Champions League for a historic seventh time, cementing themselves as the best English side in European history. City did get the better of Liverpool in the FA Cup though, beating Klopp's side 2-1 in the fifth round and stopping a potential quadruple-winning season.
Bellingham showed his ability to perform in the high-pressure moments as he scored in the Carabao Cup final and bagged a brace against Inter Milan in the Champions League final. The 19-year-old struck up a solid partnership with Mohamed Salah and Darwin Nunez, using his traits to link-up often with the attacking superstars to influence games.
Overall, this Football Manager simulation predicts that if the Reds were to sign Bellingham ahead of the 2023/24 season, he could become a key player and help evolve Klopp's team further, winning the treble in his debut season at Anfield. Bellingham's arrival pushed Liverpool above City in terms of performance throughout the season, and the 19-year-old was able to form a similar partnership to that he had with Erling Haaland at Dortmund with Darwin Nunez at Anfield.
Would you like to see Jude Bellingham sign for Liverpool next summer? Let us know in the comments!
