"They man-marked the life out of him" - PL star claims 2 England stars tried to convince Jude Bellingham to join Liverpool at 2022 World Cup

Conor Coady has shed light on the lengths Trent Alexander-Arnold and Jordan Henderson went to persuade England teammate Jude Bellingham to join Liverpool. The English superstar moved to Real Madrid from Borussia Dortmund in a €103 million deal last summer.

Bellingham, 20, was heavily linked with a move to Anfield before arriving at the Santiago Bernabeu. He spent the 2022 FIFA World Cup with England, and Alexander-Arnold and Henderson made it their mission to try and recruit him.

That's according to Coady, who was also a Three Lions' squad member during that tournament. He delved into the duo's antics at the World Cup regarding trying to convince Bellingham to join Liverpool, telling BBC Five Live:

"Hendo and Trent tried with Jude. At the World Cup, 100 per cent yeah. They man-marked him! They man-marked the life out of him. I think them two tried it, and to be fair you would, wouldn't you."

Alexander-Arnold and Bellingham are close friends and were often seen together during the World Cup. Liverpool fans believed it would be crucial to lure him to Merseyside.

Coady explained further the lengths the duo went to while in England's camp with Bellingham:

"Oh it was [every meal time]. And they were either side of him. They were sat, one was one side, one was the other. And they'd be talking about how good Liverpool is, [Jurgen] Klopp is, and all this sort of stuff, and we'd all be sat there having something to eat, listening to them."

The Reds reportedly cooled their interest after learning about Dortmund's valuation. He headed to Madrid, where he flourished last season, scoring 23 goals and contributing 13 assists in 42 games across competitions.

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"Just exceptional" - Ex-Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp's glowing assessment of England star Jude Bellingham

Jurgen Klopp talked up Jude Bellingham's abilities.

Liverpool were long-term admirers of Jude Bellingham, and Klopp fuelled further talk about a move for the young upstart. The German coach acknowledged the former Dortmund youngster as an exceptional talent when speaking after the 2022 World Cup (via TNT Sports):

"I don't like to talk about money when you talk about a player like him. Everyone can see he is just exceptional. If you mention to someone who has no clue about football, or who knows about football and has not watched it for a while (and ask) 'How old do you think Jude Bellingham is?', I don't think anyone would get even close to his age."

Bellingham's stock had grown in Europe amid a sensational 2022-23 season with BvB. He registered 14 goals and seven assists in 42 games across competitions, winning the Bundesliga Player of the Year.

The 32-cap England international can really have no regrets over his decision to join Madrid. He's won the UEFA Champions League, the La Liga title, and the Supercopa de Espana and is in the running for the Ballon d'Or.