Liverpool hero John Aldridge is worried about the club’s finances over their decision to drop interest in Jude Bellingham.
Writing for the Sunday World, Aldridge said: “Liverpool appear to have abandoned their chase of Jude Bellingham and this story could now swing in several different directions.
“We all know that Liverpool’s owners at the Fenway Sports Group (FSG) work with an alternative financial structure compared to clubs like Manchester City and Chelsea, but this is the summer when things have to change.
“I’m not advocating Liverpool spending £600million on new signings, like Chelsea and their chaotic owner Todd Boehly has done in the last year.
“Yet we are talking here about owners who purchased the club for £270million and could probably sell it now for £4billion.
“By anyone’s calculations, that is a pretty healthy profit and I don’t think it is unrealistic to now ask them to back a move for a player like Bellingham.
“So the reports that emerged on Tuesday suggesting Liverpool cannot afford a player who appears to be manager Jurgen Klopp’s top target were worrying.
“Borussia Dortmund have every right to ask for a fee in excess of £100million for a teenager who looks set to be one of the best in European football over the next decade and more.
“That is a crazy amount of money, but Liverpool need to be ready to do the deal if that is the going rate in the modern market.”
