Jason McAteer names Jude Bellingham preference after Liverpool transfer decision

Jason McAteer believes that Jude Bellingham would prefer to join Liverpool despite their decision to cool interest.

It emerged last week that the Reds will not pursue a move for the midfielder in the summer transfer window. Despite courting Bellingham for a substantial period of time, a mooted financial package of around £130 million to prise the teenager from Borussia Dortmund means Jurgen Klopp has parked a possible swoop.

Given the rebuild required at Liverpool amid a lacklustre season, they’ll instead look to sign several players rather than using a significant chunk of their transfer kitty on Bellingham.

Certainly, it’s a blow for fans after seeing the likes of captain Jordan Henderson, Trent Alexander-Arnold and Kop icon Steven Gerrard going on charm offensives to try to coax Bellingham to Anfield rather than join potential suitors such as Real Madrid or Manchester City.

But McAteer believes that despite Liverpool’s surprise choice, Bellingham would still want to move to Merseyside.

Speaking on beinSPORT, the former Reds defender said: “I think it was always about timing. You look at the Cody Gakpo deal, they took him for a relatively cheap price. If Liverpool had have hung on, his value would have gone up and then you're fighting in a room full of clubs who can throw money at it.

“The likes of Newcastle now have entered that race, look at Chelsea and the spending they can do, Manchester City, Paris Saint-Germain, you can even throw Real Madrid into that mix. It's all about timing

“I think Jude Bellingham wants to go to Liverpool. I think it's his preferred club. The size of the surgery needed at Liverpool, they can't warrant that spending. Liverpool work on a sustainable model that's worked for them for the last five years.”