"He is a world-class talent" - Emre Can delivers positive verdict on Liverpool target

Borussia Dortmund midfielder Emre Can has showered praise on teammate and Liverpool target Jude Bellingham.

Bellingham remains one of the best youngsters in European football at the moment and has further enhanced his reputation this season. The Englishman has scored 10 times and laid out six assists in 31 matches across all competitions this season.

Bellingham has repeatedly received praise from fans, analysts and fellow players for his performances over the last few years. Can, a former Liverpool midfielder who played 167 times for the club, was the latest to join the list. The German told Tuttomercatoweb.com (as quoted by HITC):

“He is a world-class talent.”

Bellingham's displays have also been key to Dortmund's current 11-match winning streak across all competitions since the start of 2023.

He has started nine of those games and come off the bench once, while missing one due to a suspension. The 19-year-old has recorded two goals and three assists in addition to dictating the tempo and flow of games from midfield during this run.

Thanks to his superb performances from midfield, Dortmund remain in contention for an unprecedented treble.

They are currently level on points with Bayern Munich in the Bundesliga after 23 matches and have made the quarterfinals of the DFB Pokal. The German side also hold a 1-0 lead after the first leg of their UEFA Champions League Round of 16 tie against Chelsea.

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Real Madrid shift focus to Bruno Guimaraes in boost for Liverpool's pursuit of Jude Bellingham

Liverpool and Real Madrid have been viewed as Jude Bellingham's potential landing spots in the summer for quite some time now. A recent update, however, suggests that the Reds might now be in the driving seat.

Football Insider reported earlier this month that Los Blancos are now set to go after Newcastle United midfielder Bruno Guimaraes. This adds to an older report from The Athletic that indicated that the Spanish giants, while interested in Bellingham, feel that he will return to England.

Real Madrid reportedly believe they will not be able to match the financial might of Premier League heavyweights like Liverpool and Manchester City.

Guimaraes, who has been key to Newcastle challenging for a top-four finish in the Premier League this season, is expected to be a cheaper alternative. However, the Brazilian's current deal with the Magpies runs until 2026, while Bellingham's contract with Borussia Dortmund ends in the summer of 2025.

Should Real Madrid go after Guimaraes, that could open up a clear path for Liverpool to go after Bellingham.