Rio Ferdinand backs ‘intelligent’ Jude Bellingham to snub Liverpool

Klopp believes 'tie is over' after Liverpool lose to Real Madrid

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Rio Ferdinand has backed Jude Bellingham to snub Liverpool in favour of a blockbuster summer transfer to Real Madrid. The former Manchester United defender insists Bellingham is ‘intelligent enough’ to look at the ‘bigger picture’ and pick a Los Blancos side primed to win trophies. 

Madrid thumped Liverpool 5-2 in the first leg of their Champions League last-16 tie on Tuesday night. Ferdinand does not think Borussia Dortmund star Bellingham should base his decision entirely on those 90 minutes of football but still believes Madrid would be the best destination.

At Liverpool Bellingham would be walking into a team stuck in transition, Ferdinand says, while the Spanish giants are ready to continue winning silverware. 

“I think Jude Bellingham’s intelligent enough not to look at one game in isolation, he’ll be looking at the bigger picture. What do the next 12 months look like at Liverpool? What kind of impact can I have at Liverpool?” Ferdinand told BT Sport. 

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“I think if we said a year ago, or six months ago, I don’t think Jude Bellingham even questions Liverpool’s trajectory or where they’re going, because they were in a different place. 

“At the moment, I don’t think Liverpool are going to be on his radar and that will be very disappointing for Liverpool fans. I think the clubs in transition at the moment, the clubs in the process of being sold or [are] up for sale, or whatever that looks like. 

“The more important thing is that the team doesn’t seem to be functioning in the right way, and there’s a transition in terms of players in the team. There’s some old players there that are going to need to be shifted and moved on, and some young players brought in.

“Does he come into that? Or does he go into a team that looks like they’re going to win right now? Real Madrid have to be top of the list at the moment.”

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Bellingham is set to be the subject of one of the most high-profile transfer chases in the summer. Liverpool and Madrid have already completed most of the groundwork and will compete for a deal that could cost upwards of £100m. 

The Reds require a major midfield overhaul, evidenced by the woeful form in the Premier League and Tuesday’s disappointing defeat. Many of Jurgen Klopp’s options are either the wrong side of 30 or lack the required quality. 

Bellingham has been linked with a move to Anfield, alongside England team-mate and Chelsea ace Mason Mount. Wolves’ Matheus Nunes has also been suggested as a possible alternative to the Three Lions pair. 

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