‘You wouldn’t ask a child if they want a Ferrari’: Klopp backs Bellingham U-turn

Jürgen Klopp has reacted to reports that Liverpool have ended their pursuit of Jude Bellingham by insisting the club must live within their means. “You wouldn’t ask a five-year-old what they want at Christmas and if they say ‘a Ferrari’, you would not say: ‘Oh, that is a good idea,’” the German said somewhat defiantly.

Liverpool have long been linked with a summer move for Bellingham but, on Tuesday, it emerged that the club are no longer in the race for the midfielder. It has been decided they cannot justify the fee it would require to sign him from Borussia Dortmund given Klopp’s need to overhaul his squad following a disappointing campaign.

It is thought Dortmund want around £135m plus add-ons for Bellingham, should they indeed decide to sell their prized asset in the close season, with the 19-year-old’s valuation rising since his impressive displays at last year’s World Cup. The combined package of transfer fee, agents’ fees plus the player’s lucrative salary would limit Liverpool’s ability to sign other players this summer.

“It’s not about Jude Bellingham,” Klopp said. “I never understood why we constantly talk about things we theoretically cannot have. We cannot have six players in the summer, every player being £100m. You have to realise what you can do and then you have to work with it. It’s about how much money you have, and you work with that.

“We are not children. You wouldn’t ask a five-year-old what they want at Christmas and if they say ‘a Ferrari’, you would not say: ‘Oh, that is a good idea.’ No, you would say it’s too expensive and you cannot drive it. If this kid spends the rest of his lift upset he hasn’t got a Ferrari, that would be sad life.

“It is just a case of what you can do and you do it, and