Jude Bellingham team-mate claims Liverpool should still be ‘optimistic’ over £120m summer move

Newcastle United striker and England team-mate of Jude Bellingham Callum Wilson has suggested Liverpool’s decision to forego a move for the midfielder this summer was down to a desire to reduce the player’s fee.

Liverpool are seeking a rebuild of their squad this summer and have pulled out of the race for Bellingham due to the £120m price tag slapped on the player by Borussia Dortmund.

The Reds were cautious of spending such a high fee on one player with a number of new arrivals being targeted following a difficult season which is likely to see Liverpool finish outside the Champions League places.

It is a stark contract to the previous campaign when Liverpool won the FA Cup and League Cup while almost clinching an historic quadruple as they missed out on the Premier League title by a point and were beaten by Real Madrid in the Champions League final.

The striker was discussing the latest on Bellingham's future on the BBC Sounds' Footballer's Football Podcast with West Ham forward Michail Antonio and Liverpool fan and presenter Rickie Haywood-Williams.

Wilson said: "Let's be serious, they're saying they're pulling out because they want the fee to reduce, it's football politics. It's standard.

"You act like you're not interested and then all of a sudden it's, 'nah, we want you'. Liverpool is a top football club so you should be optimistic about getting anyone in your door at the end of the day."

Wilson and Bellingham were both part of Gareth Southgate’s squad for the World Cup in Qatar. Wilson’s sentiments have been echoed by former Dortmund goalkeeper Roman Weidenfeller.

He told Sky Germany earlier this week: “I am convinced that Liverpool will come back to Dortmund and ask about Bellingham again.”

Weidenfeller played 279 times for Dortmund during Jurgen Klopp’s time with the Bundesliga club.

Liverpool have been linked with other midfield targets following the news they are no longer pursuing a deal for Bellingham, with Mason Mount and Ryan Gravenberch both said to be targets ahead of next season.