Liverpool are set to beat Real Madrid to both Enzo Fernandez AND Jude Bellingham
Liverpool are reportedly close to beating Real Madrid to the signings of Benfica midfielder Enzo Fernandez and Borussia Dortmund’s Jude Bellingham.
Real and Liverpool have identified the duo as their main targets for next summer with both midfielders making their mark at the World Cup in Qatar.
The Reds are currently leading the Real, Manchester City and Chelsea in the race to sign Bellingham, who could cost upwards of £130million, with the 19-year-old Jurgen Klopp’s No 1 target.
And while they lead Real in the race to sign Bellingham, Liverpool will also pip the Spanish giants to Fernandez as well after reaching a ‘pre-agreement’ with the 21-year-old’s entourage, according to Portuguese news outlet La Capital.
Another report from Portuguese newspaper Ojogo has also reported that Liverpool are also ‘promising to match’ any offer made for the Argentina international, in what would be a huge blow to Real.
That report also claims that Fernandez is ‘already in Liverpool’s hands’ and that the 21-year-old, who has a £102m release clause (€120m), is leaning towards joining the Premier League side.
It is also being claimed a move is more likely to take place in the summer with Liverpool hoping to avoid paying his current release clause.
Klopp is intent on bolstering his midfield with younger talent, given how James Milner, Thiago Alcantara and Jordan Henderson over the age of 30.
Fernandez, alongside Bellingham, is viewed as the suitable successors to Liverpool’s current crop of veteran midfielders following a series of stunning performances in Qatar.
Fernandez has helped guide Argentina to the semi-finals, where they will face Croatia on Tuesday night, showing Europe’s elite exactly what he’s capable of.
The same applies to Bellingham, who produced several brilliant displays before England crashed out at the quarter-final stage after losing 2-1 to France.
Bellingham scored his first senior international goal when he headed home Luke Shaw’s cross in England’s 6-2 win over Iran in their opening World Cup group game. Starting each game of the Three Lions campaign, he also teed up Jordan Henderson’s opening goal in the 3-0 last-16 win over Senegal.
And with Bellingham likely to leave Dortmund at the end of the season, Sportsmail understands that any potential Liverpool sale will also not derail their ambitious bid to sign the 19-year-old in the summer.
Liverpool’s current owners – Fenway Sports Group – put the club for sale last month but they will want to ensure the team is left in good shape.
Any new owners, whether it be a full takeover or investment as a minority stake, will also want to ensure the sports side is looked after, with Bellingham and Fernandez emerging as a world class players.
Another midfielder being linked with Liverpool is Sofyan Amrabat, who has a ‘big chance’ of getting a Premier League move after starring at the World Cup for Morocco, according to Moroccan journalist Amine El Amri.
Armabat has been an ever-present in his team’s midfield during their historic run to the semi-finals, where they will face France on Wednesday.
Tottenham held talks with Amrabat’s current club Fiorentina over a move in January but failed to get a deal over the line, while the 26-year-old has recently been linked with Liverpool. El Amri has suggested that Amrabat is edging nearer to a switch to England following his World Cup displays.
‘I think there’s a big chance that he might go there [the Premier League],’ El Amri said on talkSPORT.
‘But everybody will have to wait until the summer because Fiorentina don’t seem to want to sell in the next couple of weeks.
‘I think he’s a fantastic player. His brother is Nordin Amrabat, and I’m sure you guys saw in Russia that this guy was a raging bull.
‘But Sofyan Amrabat is a great footballer in addition to being a raging bull.’
