Liverpool’s midfield is going to need a little surgery in 2027, as Andoni Iraola looks to find a better balance in his engine room.

Trey Nyoni is giving fans hope that he has a long future ahead of him at Anfield, but regardless of the 19-year-old’s development, there are question marks over the suitability of Dominik Szoboszlai and Ryan Gravenberch, while Alexis Mac Allister could leave next year.

Jobe Bellingham is a potential Liverpool midfielder

What Liverpool need in midfield is a player who is going to win the ball and break up opposition attacks. That is why the links to Camara make so much sense, with the Senegalese one of the top tackling midfielders in Europe.

Bellingham may not be matching him in that respect, but the 21-year-old has steadily morphed into an important player for Niko Kovac, and his 14 tackles and 11 interceptions this season put him inside the top 13% of Bundesliga defensive midfielders.

In the Champions League, where he has started two of Dortmund’s four matches so far, the former Sunderland man is absolutely excelling here as well. He has made more tackles (10) than 98% of all other defensive midfielders in the competition, while nobody in the same position has made more than his seven interceptions.

Standing at almost 6 feet 3 inches tall, Bellingham is also brilliant aerially, winning a whopping 75% of his aerial duels this season in the Bundesliga.

The youngster is also making a difference in the attacking phase of play as well, registering three assists in 14 appearances in all competitions.

Big, strong and generally progressive with the ball, Bellingham is growing into the kind of midfielder that Liverpool are crying out for, and fans should be keeping a close eye on his performances with England to see how he copes while playing with elite footballers.

Bellingham could be attainable next summer

While some fans will hold out hope that Jude Bellingham could still play for Liverpool one day, they should not ignore the genuine possibility that his brother might just be an ideal signing in the here and now.

Come the end of the season, Jobe will have three years to run on his Dortmund contract, and the German side will likely be in no mood to let him go. However, as they have proven in the past, the Yellow and Blacks will sell at the right price.

Though he is not likely to come cheap, Bellingham’s status is not yet at the point where he would break the bank for Liverpool. That could change between now and May, but at this stage he looks like a potentially attainable, possibly world-class talent who could make the step to a top team. The Reds have to be looking.

Jobe has been likened to Jude in the past, and his move to Dortmund only strengthened the feeling that he is following in his brother’s footsteps. As a result, maybe he too will look to continue his career away from the Premier League.

The younger Bellingham has also declared a desire to be his own man, though, and if the chance to join Liverpool opened up, surely he would not turn his back on that.