As the fate of this season’s Bundesliga title hangs in the balance, hopes of Jude Bellingham joining Liverpool may not be dead yet
Sadio Mané put his recent problems behind him to score his first goal in ten games for Bayern Munich on Saturday, but the good news for the German champions didn’t last long.
Former Liverpool great Mané has recently been at the center of controversy after being fined $388,000 (£312,000/€350,000) by his own club and left out of last Saturday’s matchday squad for allegedly punching teammate Leroy Sané following Bayern’s 3-0 Champions League quarterfinal defeat at Manchester City.
The Senegalese forward was back in the lineup and on the scoresheet against Mainz this weekend, but it was only a consolation as Jürgen Klopp’s former club ran out 3-1 winners, severing the Bundesliga title race.
Bayern’s championship rivals, Borussia Dortmund, took full advantage of the blunder, winning 4-0 at home against Eintracht Frankfurt. With five rounds remaining, Die Schwarzgelben are one point ahead of Thomas Tuchel’s side.
Long-term Liverpool target Jude Bellingham was among Dortmund’s goal scorers, opening the home team’s account in the 19th minute. After months of speculation, the Reds have abandoned their pursuit of the in-demand midfield teenager, preferring to spend this summer’s transfer budget on a number of new players who can help reshape Klopp’s aging squad.
However, the outcome of the German league championship and Bellingham’s role in it may keep the possibility of Bellingham eventually moving to Anfield alive.
Despite being one of Europe’s most sought-after players, Bellingham is under contract with Dortmund until 2025 and at the peak of his career. If the 19-year-old helps his club win its first Bundesliga title since 2012, his hero status in Germany will only grow, and the England international may decide to stay with Dortmund for a while longer (via the Liverpool Echo). That would be good news for Liverpool, who have effectively ruled out making a summer move.
This theory is supported by a recent Times report, which suggests that Bellingham may be content to stay put for another season rather than being “pushed into a move that’s not absolutely right.”
Manchester City, Manchester United, and Real Madrid are among the other top clubs vying for his signature, but if the midfielder is unwilling to give up his golden moment in German football, it could be good news for Klopp and the Reds as they look to play the long game for a player whose best years are still ahead of him.
According to Liverpool.com, Liverpool’s decision to withdraw from a move for Bellingham this summer was disappointing for fans, but the size of the transfer fee involved made it entirely logical. However, if the England star is content to stay put for the time being while he enjoys the fruits of his labor in Germany, the Reds may still come out on top in the end.
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