Real Madrid believe Liverpool have shifted focus away from their top target: Reports

Real Madrid are reportedly of the opinion that Liverpool have shifted their interest from Borussia Dortmund star Jude Bellingham.

Bellingham, 19, has established himself as an indispensable member of BVB's squad since arriving from Birmingham City for an initial fee of £25 million in the summer of 2020. He has netted 19 goals and contributed 21 assists in 112 games across competitions for the Bundesliga club.

A complete midfielder blessed with passing and dribbling, Bellingham has recently popped up on the transfer radar of the likes of Real Madrid, Liverpool, Manchester City, Manchester United, and Chelsea.

According to MARCA, Real Madrid are in the driving seat to snap up Bellingham as Liverpool have shifted their focus to Benfica midfielder Enzo Fernandez. The La Liga giants are expected to dish out around £130 million for the teenager, whose stock has risen due to his performances at the 2022 FIFA World Cup.

Real Madrid are interested in luring Bellingham away from Dortmund to replace Luka Modric in the near future. The 22-cap England international is said to be the final piece of Los Blancos' midfield puzzle, which includes the likes of Aurelien Tchouameni and Federico Valverde.

On the other hand, Liverpool have identified Fernandez as a transfer target due to his contributions in Argentina's sensational 2022 FIFA World Cup campaign. The 21-year-old has registered three goals and five assists in 24 matches across all competitions for Benfica since arriving from River Plate for €10 million earlier this summer.

Liverpool are currently in the market for a first-team midfielder. The club are set to lose veteran James Milner and injury-prone pair Alex-Oxlade Chamberlain and Naby Keita on free transfers next summer.

John Aldridge opines about the upcoming Liverpool-Real Madrid UCL showdown

In his column for Liverpool Echo, former Reds striker John Aldridge expressed his opinion on his former team's upcoming clash against Real Madrid at the UEFA Champions League last-16 stage. He wrote:

"It's not ideal, but it's not for them either. There were a lot easier draws for Madrid, and they won't be happy with it, let's put it that way. We've just got to get on with it. You can't use the last two finals as 'we owe them this and that', it doesn't work that way."

Aldridge remained hopeful of a positive result for his team despite losing thrice to the La Liga giants in the last four years. He wrote:

"They beat us the last two times in the final and they knocked us out in the quarter-final, and the law of averages we may be due one. Over two legs, it may be difficult. The second leg will be at their place at the Santiago Bernabeu, but by next February we will hopefully have all of our players available and have had some recruitment as well."

The Reds are scheduled to lock horns with Real Madrid in the first leg at Anfield on Tuesday (February 21). Afterwards, the Merseyside outfit will travel to the Santiago Bernabeu on Wednesday (March 15).