Liverpool plot Bundesliga raid with Jude Bellingham move in doubt

Jurgen Klopp previews Liverpool's Premier League clash with Leeds

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Liverpool’s title chances are already in major doubt, though a January sending spree could rescue the campaign and give them a fighting chance in cup competitions. Jurgen Klopp is keen to acquire the services of a midfielder over the winter, with RB Leipzig’s Konrad Laimer still a target as their chances of signing Jude Bellingham plummet.

The Reds have lost their last two Premier League matches to relegation-battling Leeds and Nottingham Forest, with their performances leaving plenty to be desired. Issues are mounting all over the pitch for Klopp, though the core of his team is also in need of a reshaping.

Over the summer, the German boss insisted that he did not need a new midfielder, before realising late in the window that he lacked quality in the centre of the park, signing Arthur on loan from Juventus. However, the Brazil international has sustained a significant injury that could rule him out for the campaign.

Pressure is mounting on Klopp to address the matter once more in January, with Sky Germany reporting that Laimer of Leipzig is one of the names on the club’s shortlist of targets. The 25-year-old is out of contract at the end of the season and refusing to pen an extension at the Red Bull Arena.

Laimer is attracting interest from Bayern Munich, whilst other top European sides are also keeping tabs on the Austria international. However, he is not as sought after as Liverpool’s other key target, Borussia Dortmund’s Bellingham.

The England international is continuing to thrive in the Bundesliga and clubs are queuing up to register their interest in the teenager. Manchester City, Manchester United and Chelsea are amongst the other Premier League sides preparing to table a bid for the playmaker, with Real Madrid also a likely destination as well.

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Klopp is a long-term admirer of Bellingham, though that may not prove to be enough to secure his signature. If Liverpool do not improve drastically in the Premier League, then they won’t be competing in the Champions League next season, which will be far from attractive to Bellingham.

The former Birmingham City star has shone in the competition with Dortmund and proven that he can compete for the biggest trophies in world football, and whether he regards other less-significant trophies as that remains to be seen.

Failing to secure a spot in the top four would also mean that the Anfield outfit do not receive the significant cash injection that Champions League football provides, which could have been used in the imminent bidding war.

Laimer would prove to be a safety net in case Bellingham goes elsewhere, and his contract situation at Leipzig means that he wouldn’t require a significant financial investment.

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