Jordan Henderson acknowledges that it “would be wonderful” if Liverpool were successful in luring Jude Bellingham away from Borussia Dortmund this summer.
And as competition for one of Europe’s most promising kids is expected to heat up, the Reds captain has urged his fellow England international to carefully consider his next professional move.
Liverpool’s main summer transfer goal is the 19-year-old, as Jürgen Klopp is well known to be a fan of the Dortmund star. But, the Reds will have stiff competition when the market opens as both Manchester City and Real Madrid have been linked with a massive move for Bellingham.
Henderson believes he would love to see his international teammate join a Reds squad and that any deal would surpass the club record £75 million cost paid for Virgil van Dijk in January 2018.
The Liverpool captain, who along with Trent Alexander-Arnold grew close to Bellingham off the field while they were teammates for the Three Lions, has advised his less experienced teammate to make the best decision for himself as rumors are expected to intensify in the coming months.
I simply want him to play at his highest level possible, Henderson added. Of course, it would be incredible if Liverpool ended up winning. But it must be the best option for him because every team you can imagine will want him.
He must consider himself and ensure that he chooses the best course of action for his career. But whether it happens now or in a year or two, there will be one club that ends up signing him, and it will be a lucky club.
Any deal for Bellingham would probably cost well over £100m, which could potentially create a new Premier League record if he were to move back to England later this year. Dortmund is under no obligation to sell the England teenager, thus a deal for him would cost considerably over that amount.
Although Bellingham won’t turn 20 until June, Henderson believes that any prospective buyer would be getting an excellent midfielder for at least the upcoming several years.
The midfielder for Liverpool added: “His potential is just limitless. Sincerely, I find it hard to believe he is his age given how mature he plays and is off the field, in the gym, during training, and on the day following a game. He just has a passion for football.
“I can’t believe his mentality, how he applies himself to practice and competition, everything. He is a genuinely great athlete. Because I’ve never seen it before, I’m very sure he’ll continue to be a decent player for many years to come.”