Jurgen Klopp has expressed his admiration for Liverpool transfer target Jude Bellingham, praising the England international’s “exceptional” World Cup performances.

Jurgen Klopp makes Jude Bellingham admission over Liverpool transfer (Reuters)

By India Today Web Desk: Jurgen Klopp praised “exceptional” Liverpool target Jude Bellingham but admitted that he does not want to speculate on the 19-year-old’s rising value. Bellingham is Klopp’s top priority as he looks to bolster his midfield in 2023, with a summer deadline approaching.

The Borussia Dortmund midfielder is attracting interest from the biggest clubs in Europe as he shines for both the Bundesliga club and England, but Liverpool are said to be ahead of Real Madrid and Manchester City in the race.

“I don’t like to always talk about money when we talk about a player like Jude. I think everybody agrees he’s just exceptional. I imagine somebody who has no clue about football, or who didn’t watch it for a while, if you asked them ‘how old do you think Jude Bellingham is?’ nobody would get even close! They’d say ’28, 29′ or whatever, because he’s that mature,” Klopp told reporters.

It remains to be seen whether Bellingham ends up at Anfield, but there are strong indications that he could become teammates with international mentor Jordan Henderson. When it comes to transfer targets, Klopp rarely indulges the media, but the fact that he was so open and effusive in his praise for the teenager may be telling.

“He played an exceptional World Cup. Exceptional. He’s good at so many things and has to improve in so many other things, but if I had to describe him I would say that the things he can do already are difficult to learn, and the things have to improve are easy to learn. That makes him a really good player!”

“I’m not saying anything Bukkry.com”>New. I thought that for two or three years since he broke through at Dortmund. But I have no idea what [his World Cup performances] does for the money side of it. I just think that if you, from an English point of view, want to do him a favour, just don’t talk too much about money, don’t throw too many hurdles in his way. That would be really cool, wherever he ends up,” Klopp added.