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Jurgen Klopp 'involved in Liverpool's decision not to pursue Jude Bellingham deal'

Klopp 'involved in Liverpool's decision not to pursue Bellingham deal'
© Reuters
Jurgen Klopp was reportedly one of the figures behind Liverpool's decision to pull out of the race for Borussia Dortmund midfielder Jude Bellingham.

Jurgen Klopp was reportedly one of the figures behind Liverpool's decision to pull out of the race for Borussia Dortmund midfielder Jude Bellingham.

The Reds have been heavily linked with the highly sought-after 19-year-old England international, along with the likes of Manchester United, Manchester City and Real Madrid.

Klopp has previously indicated that Liverpool will oversee a summer spending spree, with midfield additions expected to be at the top of the club's list of priorities ahead of the 2023-24 campaign.

Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, Naby Keita and James Milner are all set to leave the club when their contracts expire this summer, while the Merseysiders are unlikely to sign Juventus loanee Arthur on a permanent deal.

Liverpool were believed to be one of the frontrunners in the race to sign Bellingham this summer, and the player's father was said to have been in favour of his son moving to Anfield.

Borussia Dortmund's Jude Bellingham pictured on February 4, 2023© Reuters

However, a recent report claims that Liverpool have decided to end their pursuit of £130m-rated Bellingham as they are against the idea of splashing the cash on one player, and will instead look to spread their summer spending across several transfers.

According to Sky Sports Deutschland journalist Florian Plettenberg, Klopp was "100%" involved in Liverpool's decision to pull out of the race to sign Bellingham.

Plettenberg adds that the final decision was ultimately made by Liverpool's owners Fenway Sports Group, and the club's hierarchy have now drawn up a fresh list of midfield alternatives.

Premier League trio Declan Rice, Moises Caicedo and Matheus Nunes – of West Ham United, Brighton & Hove Albion and Wolverhampton Wanderers respectively – are all said to be on Liverpool's radar ahead of next season.

Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp on March 15, 2023© Reuters

The Reds' chances of luring either Rice or Caicedo to Anfield could prove challenging, though, as both players are believed to be valued at a similar price to Bellingham, with the latter's price tag increasing after penning a new long-term contract with Brighton earlier this year.

As for Nunes, Wolves may be reluctant to let the Portuguese leave the club just a year after arriving at Molineux for a club-record fee in excess of £40m.

Elsewhere in Europe, Inter Milan's Nicolo Barella and Bayern Munich's Ryan Gravenberch are also said to have caught the eye of Liverpool scouts, with the former potentially allowed to leave San Siro if the Italian giants receive a bid of €50m (£44.2m).

Liverpool's transfer business will likely depend on whether they qualify for next season's Champions League, with Klopp's side currently sitting eighth in the Premier League table and 12 points behind fourth-placed Man United.

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Borussia Dortmund's Jude Bellingham pictured on February 4, 2023
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