Liverpool prepared to table a £156m bid for “untouchable” star in club-record transfer move

 

 

Liverpool are said to be weighing up a sensational, club-record move for a Champions League winner currently playing at one of Europe’s elite clubs.

The Reds already spent heavily last summer, splashing out a staggering £446 million on new signings. Big-name arrivals included Alexander Isak (£125m), Florian Wirtz (£116m), Milos Kerkez (£40m) and Jeremie Frimpong (£29.5m). Yet, so far, it is only Hugo Ekitike – signed from Eintracht Frankfurt for £69m – who has truly lived up to his fee, scoring 11 goals in 24 appearances.

Liverpool’s title defence has faltered, with Arne Slot’s side sitting fourth in the Premier League, 14 points behind leaders Arsenal. Supporters have begun questioning whether the club will act in January, especially after the recent signing of Senegalese youth defender Mor Talla Ndiaye, who will initially join the Under-21s.

Now, attention has turned to a potential blockbuster move. Spanish outlet Fichajes claims Liverpool view Real Madrid and England star Jude Bellingham as the type of player who could transform their season. The report suggests the club are willing to table a jaw-dropping €180 million (£156m) offer – a figure that would obliterate their previous record fee of £125m for Isak.

Bellingham remains under contract at Real Madrid until 2029, and the Spanish giants are reportedly adamant he is “untouchable.” With Xabi Alonso shaping his project at the Bernabeu, Madrid see the midfielder as central to their future and believe he is impossible to replace in the current market.

The report adds that Bellingham feels fully settled in Spain, with his influence in the dressing room and importance on the pitch reinforcing his desire to stay.

Since joining from Borussia Dortmund in 2023, the 22-year-old has delivered 43 goals and 32 assists in 122 appearances, helping Madrid lift both La Liga and the Champions League.

Before his move to Spain, Bellingham was heavily linked with Liverpool, though he later insisted the switch “wasn’t as close as people made out.”