Liverpool are set to end their interest in Jude Bellingham with Real Madrid set to take control of the race for this signature, according to reports.
Injuries to Jordan Henderson and Thiago Alcantara earlier in the season, as well as poor form, forced Jurgen Klopp into the transfer market on deadline day with the signing of Juventus midfielder Arthur on a season-long loan.
Arthur has already picked up a long-term thigh injury and is unlikely to be the long-term solution to their midfield issues.
Liverpool were hoping to wait until next summer to land the right target with reports indicating they were putting all their eggs in the Bellingham basket.
Bellingham has been brilliant over the last couple of seasons for Borussia Dortmund and showed at the World Cup why he has become one of the most sought-after young talents in world football.
The Athletic journalist David Ornstein recently revealed that Liverpool were the “frontrunners” for Bellingham’s signature but that “uncertainty” over the ownership at the club could “play into the hands” of their rivals for the England international.
Ornstein said in an interview that “only a small number of clubs will be able to afford” Bellingham with rumours that the Reds would have to pay in excess of £100m to land the midfielder.
But reports over the last few days have claimed that Liverpool have ‘reached a pre-agreement’ with another midfielder in the form of Benfica’s Enzo Fernandez.
It has been said that the Merseysiders ‘promise to match’ any offer from elsewhere for the Argentina international, who has been starring at the World Cup.
And Spanish newspaper Marca now insist that Liverpool are set to ‘give up’ on Bellingham as they have now found a ‘more accessible target’ in Fernandez.
Fernandez has a €90m (£77m) release clause in his contract at Benfica and it’s a fee Liverpool ‘considered affordable’ in comparison to the potential fee for Bellingham.
Marca add that Klopp’s interest in Fernandez ‘opens the door to an immediate operation and a clear path’ to Real Madrid despite Los Blancos not having the same ‘maximum need and urgency’ as Liverpool for a central midfielder.
Real Madrid can ‘contemplate all these movements with some calm’ but Bellingham has ‘convinced everyone’ at the World Cup and now the La Liga giants reckon ‘the effort could be worth it’.
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