"Someone of interest" - Transfer insider says Premier League midfielder could emerge as Liverpool's Jude Bellingham alternative

Football reporter Dean Jones has claimed that Liverpool could target Declan Rice as an alternative to their much-coveted midfield target Jude Bellingham.

He has revealed that both Bellingham and Rice are likely to be on the move in the summer of 2023. Liverpool could make a move for the latter if they fail to land the Borussia Dortmund midfielder next summer.

Jones told Give Me Sport:

“Declan Rice is someone of interest, and we know that both of these players are almost certain to make transfers in 2023. But it’d be interesting if Liverpool don’t land Bellingham to see what they consider to be most important."

He added:

“Is it an emerging talent, or is it just someone that is considered one of the best in the world?”

Bellingham's stock continues to be on the rise as the England international has caught the eye in the 2022 FIFA World Cup.

Liverpool are long-term admirers of the Borussia Dortmund wunderkind and are thought to be keen to bring him to Anfield next summer. He has played 112 games for the German club, registering 19 goals and 21 assists.

The Reds are destined to face strong competition for his signature, with clubs like Real Madrid and Chelsea also chasing him.

Rice, meanwhile, has been a player in demand for quite a long time now and is thought to be on his way out of West Ham United in the summer.

The defensive midfielder is contracted to the East London club until the summer of 2024. This means that the Hammers could be tempted to cash in on him next summer.

They have played hardball with the asking price of Rice for a long time having asked more than £100 million for his services in the past. However, Rice's contract situation suggests that he could be available for around £70 million in 2023.

He has played 215 senior games for West Ham, registering 11 goals and 12 assists.

Rice and Bellingham are both with the England squad right now at the FIFA World Cup in Qatar. They have played really well in midfield as the Three Lions have made their way to the quarter-finals. They will face France on December 10.

---

Liverpool urged to sell two players in January

Former Premier League full-back Alan Hutton has urged Liverpool to sell Naby Keita and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain in the January transfer window. The former Aston Villa defender told Football Insider:

"We are talking about two guys who have not played a lot of football. It is not ideal letting assets go for nothing but if you have got a plan moving forward and targets to bring in then you need to free up space."

He added:

"Some people need to go it is quite as simple as that. They are the boys that Jurgen Klopp sees that he does not need so you have to kind of cut your losses at some point."

Both midfielders will be out of contract in the summer and have not featured for the Reds on a regular basis. They have struggled with injury problems since their move to Liverpool.