With a big change, Liverpool could potentially sign a Bellingham replacement for as little as £66 million.

Liverpool might reportedly have the chance to buy Inter Milan star Nicolo Barella in the summer for around half of what Borussia Dortmund wants for Jude Bellingham, with the Italian being made available

According to CalcioMercato, the Serie A giants have set a €75 million (£66 million) price tag on the 25-year-old midfielder ahead of the upcoming transfer window, in which Liverpool are expected to invest heavily in the central position in the wake of the potential departures of James Milner, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, and Naby Keita.

With Bellingham estimated at £130m by the Athletic, Barella may be an excellent alternative for Liverpool given how ideal the Italian international is for Jurgen Klopp’s side, with the midfielder being available for half the price that Borussia Dortmund wants for its English wonderkid.

Barella, one of the greatest midfielders in Italy and a player highly regarded by Inter fans and analysts, might be the answer to Liverpool’s midfield woes, with a £66m summer deal now on the cards as the Reds attempt to increase their interest in the 26-year-old.

Undoubtedly, Liverpool could have used a player like Barella against Crystal Palace on Saturday, as the Reds failed to break down the south London side in another disappointing Premier League setback for the Anfield giants, with Merseyside in desperate need of a creative central midfielder.

While Bellingham remains a possibility, Dortmund’s asking price will be a major stumbling block for Liverpool, and with Klopp likely to prefer an immediate short-term solution this summer, Barella may be a better fit than the England star given the current circumstances.

THE SIGNING OF BARELLA BY LIVERPOOL MAY LEAD TO A DEAL WITH BELLINGHAM IN 2024.

According to the Athletic, Bellingham might stay at Dortmund for next season if the ideal opportunity does not present themselves this summer. And if Liverpool decides to recruit Barella to assist them back to the top four, the Italian will be instrumental in bringing the England player to Anfield in 2024.

The proposal may appear to be a stretch and extremely implausible, but the summer window is shaping up to be unpredictable, and a short-term financial loss might result in Liverpool having both Barella and Bellingham on their team for the 2024/25 season.