Jude Bellingham, a promising young player for England, appears set for his long-awaited, high-profile departure from Borussia Dortmund this summer. Although Premier League powerhouse Liverpool is very much in the mix, there may be more pressing needs than there is money to spend to acquire him.

As the mercurial Die Schwarzgelben midfielder looks set to take the next step in his blossoming career, the impending high-profile transfer of Borussia Dortmund wonderkid and England international star Jude Bellingham will undoubtedly steal all the headlines in the upcoming summer transfer window.

Although Dortmund’s sporting director Sebastian Kehl still wants to extend Bellingham’s contract at Signal Iduna Park, it is well known that a number of clubs outside the Bundesliga, including Real Madrid, Manchester City, Manchester United, Chelsea, and of course Liverpool, have shown interest.

The 19-year-old’s price tag may be too high to secure what would be a signing that could greatly improve the club’s fortunes on the field. Jürgen Klopp’s Premier League title contenders are certain to play their cards for the young player, but they may not succeed.

Following a disappointing 2022–23 season at home and on the continent, as well as squad turnover from contract expirations or potential sales, the Anfield team is in desperate need of significant refreshment through the transfer window. However, the price tag associated with Bellingham – which is likely to go as high as £150m – may be significantly higher than what they are realistically able to mobilize on the financial front.

The current season has been a mess, and there is reason to believe that Klopp needs at least four of five players in both midfield and defense to fix it. This would dispel any notion that, for the third time in his managerial career, the German tactician’s preferred approach has not run out of gas.

A Premier League record fee for Bellingham may not be financially feasible without serious support from the club brass and a few significant sales, given the number of signings and their likely higher fees that the club will have to take into consideration.

Liverpool could and should consider a number of alternatives to the Stourbridge native if they want to continue being effective at finding high value for reasonable price in the market, which would be the better use of resources and reliance on data. After all, most clubs cannot function like Chelsea.

In light of this, 101 Great Goals examines five potential replacements for Jude Bellingham in the event that the England star decides to leave for more favorable conditions or if Liverpool decides to take a different financial path.

Bellingham overview & head-to-head data comparison

What makes Jude Bellingham so good despite still being just 19-year-olds is the notion that there are few areas of his game where he struggles. More directly, the England international is as close to a perfect midfield profile as you will see on both sides of the ball, which is expressly why he is sure to be one of the most coveted signings in recent memory.

To try and find a replacement for him via the market is no easy task given how strong he is defensively and in the press, his technical quality and intelligence when on the ball, and also his knack for driving forward to offer a solution in the final third. Though the term “generational” has been used far more broadly than I believe it should in recent years, Bellingham certainly fits that mold to the very ground; and the data proves it.

In truth, it is likely borderline impossible to find a like-for-like replacement, so some sacrifices would have to be made in some aspect of each candidate’s overall profile, but overall, some interesting findings are listed below in the vein of Enzo Le Fee, Lovro Majer, Lazar Samardžić, Mason Mount, and Dominik Szoboszlai.

Mason Mount (Chelsea)

An interesting candidate given the uncertain nature of his future at Chelsea on account of Todd Boehly’s sheer boredom with money, Bellingham’s England international colleague Mason Mount could tick a lot of boxes.

It’s hard to judge the Cobham Academy product on the back of the current season for obvious reasons, but at his very best, Mount has been one of Chelsea’s best performers in the last few seasons. Tactically versatile while offering a threat as a goalscorer but also as a creative outlet, Mount could certainly give Liverpool goals from midfield; something they have lacked for quite some time. Questions would surround his defensive contributions, but that could possibly be mitigated on a tactical level. There is no telling what Chelsea would charge, however, despite one year left on his contract after this season.

Lovro Majer (Stade Rennais)

A somewhat unknown quantity to many, Croatian international Lovro Majer featured for his country at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar on the back of establishing himself in France’s top flight at Stade Rennais after five seasons with NK Lokomotiva Zagreb and Dinamo Zagreb respectively.

More of an attacking midfielder than a central box-to-box player, Majer has some of the best overall creative numbers of any on the shortlist while also being quite progressive in distribution and when he is on the ball. His physical profile is such that he can withstand operating in a press-based system and does get stuck into physical battles comfortably. With a market value of about £20m, he is certainly far more affordable at the time of writing.

Dominik Szoboszlai (RB Leipzig)

The darling of Hungarian football and a key attacking outlet at RB Leipzig under Marco Rose, Dominik Szoboslzai rose to prominence at sister club RB Salzburg among may a blockbuster long-range effort before he left for Saxony in the summer of 2021. After recovering from injury, the 22-year-old is back at his best and staring in the Bundesliga as RBL continues to push in its attempt to upset the establishment.

Szoboszlai ranks as the most creative on the shortlist while also being a goal throat – typically from outside the box given his profile and strengths in that particular area of his game – while also showboating a capability to progress play via picking the right pass as being a hallmark of how RBL conduct their business. Chiefly, that would suit Liverpool to the ground given the attacking options on the books at Anfield, and though his market value is higher than Majer, the chance to play in the Premier League may be too good to pass up at some stage.

Enzo Le Fee (FC Lorient)

A name that many may not have considered at first glance, Lorient academy graduate and French U21 international Enzo Le Fee continues to shine bright in Brittany with his hometown club and has already made 117 league appearances since 2019, with the 23-year-old patrolling the midfield during a 2022-23 campaign that sees Lorient vying for European football next season.

His creative numbers are solid by comparison, and his progression capabilities even more, but where Le Fee stacks up against Bellingham and the rest on the defensive side of the ball. Clearly unafraid to get stuck in and being strong in the tackle, Le Fee could shine in a Klopp pressing system just ahead of Fabinho as sort of a “bell-ringer” when it comes to regaining possession, aiding the Brazilian in that aspect of play. His ability to be creative from deep could also unlock those vaunted Liverpool counter-attacks, and with a market value of just £10m, it could be a move worth exploring.

Lazar Samardžić (Udinese Calcio)

To close out the shortlist I took a look at upcoming-Serbian international and Udinese midfielder Lazar Samardžić. Though the German-born outfield player struggled to find his footing at both Hertha BSC and RB Leipzig through no fault of his own, the Berlin native landed in Friuli last season at a Udine institution that has done so well to develop talent that flies under the radar.

Across the last two seasons, Samardžić has shone in the northeast of Italy while boasting a versatile midfield profile capable of slotting into both the number 8 and number 10 roles as well as residually on the right flank in a four-man midfield. His creativity and potential goal throat are both considerable, but Samardžić’s development on the defensive side of the ball would certainly require work if it is to withstand a Klopp schematic. Still, there would be little-to-no financial risk for a player whose current value sits at a paltry £4m. With the buzz that surrounds him, it could certainly end in a transfer coup of note.

Source: 101greatgoals

The post Five Liverpool summer transfer alternatives to Jude Bellingham appeared first on Home For Latest Sport News and Football Matches.