‘Don’t see value’: Liverpool can afford ‘superstar’, they just don’t think he’s worth it – journalist

Add as preferred source on Google

According to Ben Jacobs, Liverpool can indeed afford to sign Jude Bellingham this summer, but they don’t think he’d be worth it.

Speaking on the LFC Transfer Room Podcast, Jacobs detailed the lay of the land when it comes to Bellingham.

It has been reported this week that the Reds are out of the race for the English midfielder, and according to Jacobs, the Merseyside club decided themselves that Bellingham isn’t worth going after.

Indeed, due to the fact Liverpool need multiple signings this summer and the fact that they’re not likely to be in the Champions League, they’re not going to get involved in this race.

Liverpool don’t see value in Bellingham

Jacobs shared what he knows about this situation.

“In essence we’re not saying that they can’t afford Bellingham, we are saying they don’t see value in Jude Bellingham,” Jacobs said.

“There’s such a need to strengthen in other areas that you have to stop thinking collectively, so it’s very easy to only think Bellingham and realise what the price was always likely to be, and then say knowing that why did they invest so much only to back out over a price that appeared reasonably obvious?

“But by the same token when Liverpool first invested in this Bellingham race it was almost a given, considering they were a team challenging for the quadruple at the time, that they would have Champions League football heading into 2023/24.

“The surprise in all of this is the contrast between this time last year where Liverpool were fighting on all fronts vs now and that decline and lack of Champions League football is significant in many ways, especially at a club like Liverpool.

“It’s so sudden that is affects the budget, that’s not on the recruitment team unfortunately, that’s on the players and the football staff at Liverpool and it will have a knock on effect whether Liverpool like it or not.”

Not worth it

With the figures that are being spoken about with Bellingham, we’re inclined to agree he’s not worth it.

Yes, he’s been described as a ‘superstar’ and he’s 19 years old with the world at his feet, but let’s face facts, he’s largely unproven.

He’s never kicked a ball in the Premier League, and while he’s been doing brilliantly in the Bundesliga for a while now, you could’ve said the same about the likes of Kai Havertz, Jadon Sancho and Timo Werner before they came to England.

At this point in time, Liverpool can’t really take any huge risks, and signing Bellingham would certainly be a risk.